Moonlit Encounter: A Tale of Dogs & Wolves
by ChocolateEclar
Summary: (Complete)(Sequel to "A Bond Across Time")Koinu's now 17 and has her driver's license, to Shi's horror.When she meets a teenage wolf youkai, family disputes ensue along with another fight between IY & Kouga.KoinuOC ShiOC & IYKag
1. Koinu and Shirakaba

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I only own Koinu (Nobara) and Shirakaba. ^_- 

To TetsuoTsubushi: ^_^ Hehe. I hope they're leading somewhere… Just kidding. I'm sure they are. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! 

A/N: This is the sequel to my story "A Bond across Time." If you haven't read that, I recommend you do so you understand what's going on. ^.^

A/N 2: By the way, all my chapters in the last story were under various characters' POVs, but just so you know, none of the chapters in this will be under a character POV. 

_A/N 3: This is the new version of chapter 1. If you read this before 7/13/03 reread this. Most of it is new. Most of the old chapter 1 is now the new 'epilogue' for "A Bond Across Time." Sorry for the confusion. _

**Part 1: Koinu and Shirakaba**

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****

"_SHIRAKABA, I'M GOIN' TO KILL YOU!!!_" shrieked an enraged teenage girl. Several crashes and roars could be heard coming from a small house in the suburbs of modern day Tokyo. "Get back here!" screamed the same girl.

The front door was flung open by a boy of around eleven, his colorless hair a messy mop. He continued to run from the house as if his life depended upon it.

Soon afterwards, a fuming teenage girl appeared, her golden eyes scanning the neighborhood. She soon spotted her prey, the boy himself, who was running down the sidewalk. She smirked darkly and sprinted after the youth with the matching golden eyes.

The girl soon caught up with the boy, being about six years older than him and so a bit faster. "Gotcha!' she yelled triumphantly. "Now, ototo, you're not going to mess up my bedroom again, right?!" she continued menacingly.

Shi nodded, but protested slightly when his oneesan began dragging him back to their house. "Koinu?" Shi asked as they reached the front door.

"Nani?" snapped Koinu, turning her dark-haired head towards her ototo, Shirakaba.

"I thought we were having lunch with Mom at Camui so shouldn't we go now-" began Shi.

"NANI?!" yelped Koinu. "Let's go!" _'Shit!' _she thought.

Shi sighed and followed his oneesan to the garage where Koinu was jumping into the driver's seat. Shi hesitated for a moment. Koinu wasn't the worst young driver, but she certainly wasn't the safest to be with either way. _'How did she get her driver's license? She's a danger to herself and everyone within a twenty mile radius,'_ Shi thought.

"Hurry it up, Shi!" she barked causing Shi to hop into the backseat. He put on his seat belt tightly and clutched onto his seat, closing his eyes. 

Koinu backed up, roaring out of the driveway and onto the road, barely missing the neighbor's mailbox. Shi winced and opened one golden eye before quickly closing it again as Koinu nearly hit the curb. "Drive straight, Koinu!" he shouted.

Koinu scowled and finally began to drive in a somewhat safe manner. By the time they reached the restaurant though, she had nearly hit two curbs, one no parking sign, and two pedestrians. Shi collapsed onto his seat in relief. _'Thank Kami.'_

************************************************************************

"Ooi, Mom!" called Koinu as they stepped inside of the restaurant. Kagome looked up and smiled, she peered with concern at Shi though. He looked a bit worse for wear, his fingers twitching slightly. 

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked as Koinu excused herself to go to the bathroom. 

"Oh nothing. Koinu just nearly killed me in a car accident," Shi muttered sarcastically. 

"Oh," Kagome said. "She's not that bad, is she?"

"Bad is an understatement! I'd have better luck having a fight with a bear than being anywhere near her when she's driving!" Shi protested.

Kagome chuckled. "You'll be fine," she reassured him.

Shi sighed. _'No way,'_ he thought laughingly.

************************************************************************

"Whose your new teacher?" Koinu asked Shi the next day as he looked over the letter he had gotten from his elementary school. 

"Mrs. Kijo."

"Yuck!" Koinu said. "She was super mean to me when I was in her class. I was seven though."

"Hmm," Shi muttered as he studied the supply list. 

"I can drive you to school every day," Koinu offered. "Its only about a mile away from my high school after all."

Shi shook his head hurriedly. "No thanks! I value my life," he replied. "I'd rather take the bus."

"Very funny," Koinu said.

"Besides," Shi added, "Ninkimono's annoying and I know you always give her a lift."

Koinu laughed. "What's wrong with her?"

"She won't shut up and you know how out of it I am in the morning!" Shi snapped.

"That's why we call her 'Haipaa.' She's really hyper," replied Koinu.

"Obviously," Shi retorted dryly. 

"Is that Ouka girl in your class again?" Koinu asked.

"Probably."

"I know you like her!" Koinu shouted causing Shi's face to turn beat red.

"What do you know, Koinu? You're seventeen and you don't even have a boyfriend?" Shi yelled.

Koinu's face blanched and then contorted in fury. "If you recall, _dear_, I had a freakin' boyfriend just last year!" she roared.

Shi nearly quavered in her rage. It was a gift his oneesan seemed to have. When she was angry you felt like shivering. "I didn't mean it," he managed to say without stammering.

Koinu just 'hmphed' and stormed away, her golden eyes fiery with infuriation.

Shi sighed. _'Nice going,'_ he thought sarcastically. _'She'll make my life hell for the rest of the day for causing her to think about Samoshii.'_

************************************************************************

Inuyasha watched from his place on a relaxing chair in the living room as his ojousan thundered by in a huff. Anger and old feelings of distress were coming off her in waves as her scent reached his sensitive nose. 

"Koinu?" he asked.

Koinu stopped and, without looking at him, said, "I'll be out for a few hours." And with that said, she walked out of the house, and into the boiling heat of summer.

She hopped into her car, backing it out of the garage and down the driveway. Then, she left in the direction of the nearest forest.

************************************************************************

Shi was surprised to hear Koinu's car being started up. He had expected her to go sulk in her room. He remembered what Koinu had said. _"Is that Ouka girl in your class again? … I know you like her!"_

Shirakaba grinned slightly and, without a second thought, grabbed the telephone from off his dresser and dialed his best friend's phone number. 

"Moshimoshi?" came the usual phone greeting.

"Hey, Zat, it's me," Shi replied.

"Oh!" came Zatsugaku Ekiyuu's reply. "What's up, Shi?"

"You know whose in our class this year, right?" Shi asked.

"Yea, my mom's a purofessaa, remember? I snuck into the main office and copied the class list when she brought me to work with her last week so she could decorate her classroom," Zat answered proudly.

"I figured you had," Shi said grinning. "So is Ouka in our class again?"

Shi heard Zat sigh on the other end and knew the answer before he even said it. "'Fraid not, pal. She's in the class next door," Zat said.

"Oh well. At least we'll still see her once and awhile," Shi muttered dejectedly.

"I'm sure we will," Zat said encouragingly. "So, you wanna go with me and Uindo to the arcade. They've got that new game…"

Shi grinned again. "Fine, I'll be there in twenty."

"Good. See ya!" Zat said before hanging up.

Shi's smile faded slightly. _'I can't believe Ouka's not in our class!'_ he thought despondently.

************************************************************************

Inuyasha opened one golden eye as Shi stepped out of his room.

"Bye, Dad! I'm goin' to the arcade!" Shirakaba said as he ran by and out the door.

Inuyasha sighed and yawned. He had the house all to himself. _'No more noisy kids,'_ he mused lightly before falling asleep again. A few hours later that would be were his mate would find him sleeping peacefully.

************************************************************************

Koinu stepped out of her crimson automobile, breathing in the fresh mountain air. She stared up at the trees focusing her golden eyes on the leaves. She then locked the door, pocketing her keys, and went hiking. 

_'This is kinda like my 'element,''_ she thought. She looked a bit out of place among the browns and greens adorned in a cerulean tank top and jean shorts. As she went deeper into the wood, her golden eyes were the only bright things in sight, giving them an even more piercing appearance. 

Something was watching her with light blue eyes as she walked. _'She's got some youkai blood,'_ he thought. He sniffed again. _''Smells like inu youkai blood,'_ he deduced.

Koinu stopped, her nose scrunched up slightly. _'Someone's here,'_ she realized. "Whoever you are, show yourself!" she bellowed into the forest, scaring a couple of birds into flight.

Her observer sprang from the tree he had been sitting in and stood directly in front of her. "This is my father's territory. You're trespassing so leave!" he shouted. He was several inches taller than the short Koinu with dark brown hair, a long matching tail, and light azure eyes. 

Koinu's eyes went from angry to murderous in seconds. "I don't care whose land this is? I just wanted to go for a walk," she snapped defiantly. 

"Well, tough," retorted the observer laughingly.

Koinu's folded her arms in front of her chest. _'Hmm. He looks and smells like an urufu youkai… Shippou said they live in the mountain areas; I guess I stumbled on one of their regions,' _she pondered. She then said to the observer, "Fine, I don't want some urufu on my tail."

"So you do have some inu youkai blood in you," stated the youkai.

"Yep. I'm a one fourth inu youkai and three-fourths ninjen," Koinu replied as she began to walk back to her car.

"I figured. You reek of ninjen and inu," the young urufu youkai muttered.

"Reek, do I?" Koinu inquired dangerously, as she turned her head back towards the wolf teenager.

"Yea, you smell awful," teased the youkai.

"Me? Atleast I use shampoo!" Koinu retorted good-naturedly. "Do you even use soap?!"

"Why would I use that ninjen project?"

"I dunno. Maybe because it stops you from smelling like a dang pig!" Koinu said mockingly. 

"You shouldn't talk, mutt!" barked the urufu youkai.

"Mutt?! Mutt?!" yelled Koinu. She was angry again, her eyes golden flames in the darkening forest.

The youkai backed up a bit. _'She's as scary as Hime when she gets pissed off,'_ he thought.

"Ooi, I didn't mean it!" he apologized.

"You know you're the second person to say that to me today!!!" shrieked Koinu. That was when the full moon came into view and Koinu felt the familiar change. Within moments, her eyes had turned dark so that everything seemed murkier without their golden radiance. 

She was full ninjen and alone in a forest with a young wolf youkai.

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A/N: ^__^ Cliffy! *dodges the pots and pans from reviewers*

A/N 2: Here are the translations for the Japanese words in this chapter:

Ototo=younger brother

Oneesan=older sister 

Ooi=hey! 

Ojousan=daughter

Moshimoshi=hello (on phone) Purofessaa=professor 

Urufu=wolf

Translations of new people's names:

Ninkimono=popular person/favorite (A/N: 'Haipaa's actually popular' even though she's spacey.) Haipaa=hyper Ouka=cherry blossom Samoshii=selfish/self-seeking/self-interested/mean Zatsugaku=miscellaneous knowledge 

Ekiyuu=good friend/useful friend

Uindo=wind Hime=princess/young lady of noble birth A/N 3: Don't forget to review! ^____^ Bye! 


	2. Yousukou, the Urufu Youkai

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara) and Shirakaba. ^_- To Sailor Universe: ^_^ Thanks for all the compliments! 

To TetsuoTsubushi: Thanks a bunch!

To Tinuviel: Leprechauns? *laughing* Anyway, thank you for reviewing! BTW, I like your little introduction to this chapter. 'Stay tuned' lol. ^_-

_A/N: Once again, the last chapter was totally redone so if you read it before 7/13/03 reread it because most of it is new. Most of the old chapter 1 is now the new 'epilogue' for "A Bond Across Time." Sorry for the confusion. _

A/N 2: I decided to start the chapter with a few memorable "Inuyasha" quotes:

_Inuyasha: "Get back here, Kagome. Without you to pick on, what's the point of getting up?" _

_Kagome: *after Miroku gropes her* "On second thought, kill him!"_

_Kagome: "Give me a break! Who could fall in love with a spoiled, selfish, nasty, violent jerk like him?!"_

_Kagome: __"__Um, do you think we can come back before Saturday?__"__  
Inuyasha: __"__Sure, why not?__"__  
Kagome: __"__Really?__"__  
Inuyasha: __"__Not that I know when this 'Saturday' is.__"_

A/N 3: ^_^ Okay, here's the chapter! ^_^

Part 2: Yousukou, the Urufu Youkai

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked as she walked into the living room where he was snoozing.

"Huh?" Inuyasha awoke with a start. "Oh. Hi."

"You've been sitting there all day?"

"Yea. So?"

Kagome shook her head and asked, "Where's the kids?"

"Um…" Inuyasha muttered. "Oh! Shi went to that arcade place and Koinu left somewhere with her car."

"Hmm. Both of them should be ninjen by now," Kagome noted.

Inuyasha nodded, staring out the window at the full moon.

************************************************************************

"You-You're ninjen," the urufu youkai blurted out.

Koinu cocked one eyebrow in an aggravated manner at him. "Obviously, moron."

The wolf demon huffed and snapped, "I was making a statement."

"And a dumb one at that," snapped Koinu.

"Weren't you leaving?"

"Yea, yea. It's just now I can't smell my car so I'll be a bit difficult," mumbled Koinu, walking away.

"Oh, then I can help you," said the canine teenager. "I can smell it clearly from here."

"Okay, lead the way then."

Koinu followed the urufu youkai for a while before asking, "By the way what's your name? I'm Koinu."

"Koinu? Puppy?"

"Gotta problem with that," yelled Koinu. "Its my nickname. Nobara's my real name."

"Oh. Well then I'm Yousukou, but a lot of people call me 'Yu,' " replied the wolf youkai.

"Yu? As in 'hot water?' " inquired Koinu.

"Yea, its because of my lack of toleration for my kyoudai. I've got loads of them and they drive me crazy."

"Hmm. I've only got one; a ototo named Shirakaba, Shi for short," replied Koinu. 

"You're lucky. I've only got one older sibling. Her name's Hime and she's a nightmare," said Yu.

"Ah. How many kyoudai do you have?" asked Koinu.

"Seventeen," Yu replied dully.

"Whoa! That's one big family!" 

"I know. Hime's forty-eight years older than me so she tends to act all high and might."

"Forty-eight years! Whoa! I'm only six years older than Shi," Koinu exclaimed.

"Yea, well, that happens sometimes with youkai. Sometimes they don't have more kids for years. My closest sibling is seven years younger than me," explained Yu.

"Hmm. That's strange," muttered Koinu. She studied Yu in the light of the full moon. He seemed to be wearing jeans, leather boots, and a dark blue t-shirt made out of a hard, thick material. His coffee-colored hair was about shoulder length tied back in a ponytail. He also had an ancient sword hung in a sheath from a dark blue belt around his waist.

The sword intrigued Koinu, who liked looking at her oji's Tenseiga and her otousan's Tetsusaiga. "What are you lookin' at?" snapped Yu glancing back at her.

"Oh!" exclaimed Koinu. "Just your sword. My dad and oji have old swords like that one."

"Hmm. This one's been in my family for years. It was my otousan's first sword," Yu replied.

"Cool."

"Here's your car."

Sure enough, Koinu's crimson vehicle came into view, nestled among the shrubbery. "Oh. Thanks," Koinu said taking out her car keys. "Well, it was weird bumping into you and all. Bye."

"Ah huh," said Yousukou, turning to go with this long, brown tail curled around his waist. 

Koinu smiled, hopped into her car, and drove away.

Yu just watched her go, his pointed ears listening. Then, he turned and rushed off in a tornado-like blur.

************************************************************************

About an hour later, Koinu reached the peaceful street of her home. When she drove up the driveway and into the garage, she was greeted by Shi, who was getting off his azure bicycle. "Where've you been?" Koinu asked him.

"I went to the arcade with Zat and Uindo," replied Shi as they both stepped into the house. Shi's eyes and locks were as dark as Koinu, both their senses dulled. 

"Ooi, Mom!" they both called as Kagome came into view, heating up ramen in the kitchen.

"Ready to eat?" Kagome questioned, smiling at them.

Soon Inuyasha came into their line of sight as well, situated at the kitchen table. Beside him sat Shippou, leaning his chair on its back legs. Inuyasha sniffed the air slightly and accused, "I smell urufu."

Koinu grinned sheepishly. "I drove up to the mountain area to get some fresh air," she explained. "I kinda bumped into an urufu youkai because I was on his family's land. He was okay, he even helped me find the car after I turned ninjen."

"Ah. They're very territorial," remarked Kagome. She was scooping the ramen into separate bowls.

"Where exactly where you?" Shippou asked turning his green eyes towards Koinu.

"About a mile southwest of Fuji-yama," Koinu replied, helping her okaasan set the bowls on the table.

"Ahhh! The foot of Mount Fuji's where Kouga's pack lives. What did he say his name was?" Shippou inquired ignoring Inuyasha's growl at the mention of his old rival. 

"Yousukou."

"I'm pretty sure that's the name of Kouga's second kid. He was only a pup when I bumped into them. Kouga only had two kids then. I suppose he probably has more now," Shippou mumbled.

"Yu said he had seventeen kyoudai."

"Seventeen!"

"Ah huh. That's what I said," Koinu said chuckling.

************************************************************************

"You're late, Yu," whispered a fierce female voice as Yousukou reached a secluded section of the mountain where several caves filled with urufu youkai were. Standing in the largest den's doorway was an adult urufu youkai; her long bushy, white tail trailing on the ground and her cropped white hair bristling slightly. She had a cold glare imprinted on her pretty face, golden hoops hanging from her ears. 

"Hello to you too, Hime," snapped Yu as he brushed past her into the deep cave. Inside, several small youkai kodomotachi were rolling around, snarling playfully at each other while others slept. Towards the very back of the candle-lit wolf den were a few adults, all deep in conversation. Soon, one, a female with long white hair and tail and a baby upon her lap, looked up and smiled. "Its you, Yousukou," she said causing the others to look up at the teenage wolf demon.

Yu bowed a bit to her. "So it is, okaasan," he said, grinning.

Another youkai said, "Where've you been, obocchan?"

"Keeping tourists off our land, otousan," Yu said respectfully.

His father, whose long hair and tail were as brown as his obocchan's, smiled. His blue eyes were very like Yu's as well, light and impressive. "Hime, come here!" he yelled.

The white wolf demoness appeared from her spot by the opening and said, "Yes, otousan?"

"Scan the grounds again while I give your ototo some supper. He's been doing the rounds all day after all. Since you didn't want the hot day shift, you can take the all-night one," explained the male youkai, furs placed in various spots on his armor-like clothing.

Hime's lip twisted in anger and she stormed out of the door and flung herself into the night, her tattered purple cape flapping in the wind. "Urgh!" they heard her yell in frustration. "I hate these damn shifts! Why can't Yu take them all?!"

Yu smirked slightly and turned his head back towards the others as his okaasan said, "Kouga, what do you suppose we should do about the-" (A/N: Did anyone _not_ predict Kouga was going to be related to Yu? ^_^)

"Later, Mashiro," replied Kouga getting up and handing Yu a slab of meat that had been hanging from a rope with others.

Yu took it, suspecting his otousan didn't want to talk because he was there and could understand what they were discussing unlike his younger kyoudai. 

He left, swinging up the mountain to another cavern where some of the other teenage urufu youkai where hanging out. "Ooi, Yu!" called several of them as he stepped inside. He smiled and looked back outside for a moment, wondering what had become of the strange quarter inu-youkai girl turned ninjen. 

Then he began chatting with his furenzu and stopped thinking of the 'puppy girl' for the time being. 

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A/N: To finish off this chapter let's recall one last quote:

_Inuyasha: "__I don't give a rat's ass if you're famous or not, old man!"___

A/N 2: Hehe. Yea, that's Inuyasha for ya. Anyway, I've got tons of these; I'll put more in next chapter.

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A/N: So that was chapter 2…

Shi: Obviously.

Choccy: *whacks the smart-aleck with a frying pan*

Shi: Ouch! @_@

A/N 2: ^_^ Here are the translations for this chap:

Kyoudai=siblings Otousan=father 

Oji=uncle (older than one's parent)

Ooi=hey! 

Urufu=wolf

Okaasan=mother

Kodomotachi=children

Furenzu=friends

Obocchan= son

Here are the name translations:

Yousukou =Yangtze River (in China) (Choccy/Note: I named him after a river in China because Kouga, his father, is named after the Yellow River in China. ^_^)

Yu=hot water

Mashiro=pure white 

A/N 3: REVIEW! ^____^ Bye! 

Shi: @__@


	3. Two Families, Two Teenagers

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), and Mashiro. 

To Tinuviel: Leprechauns and mutant Smurfs? *falls off chair laughing* XD *gets back up* Yea, Hime's a snob. As for Kouga smelling Koinu, he hasn't put 2 & 2 together yet. You'll just have to see what happens… Another great intro, btw.

To Sailor Universe: Thankies!

To TetsuoTsubushi: Yep, Koinu's pretty much the main character now. Yu and Shi come in behind her in second place.  ^_^ Thanks for reviewing!

A/N: I just thought this was funny. Its from _'Headlines'_ on _'the Tonight Show'_:

"Here's Charles Edward Jones convicted of bank robbery. Check this genius out… 'As he ran out of the bank, he stuffed the gun into his waistband, accidentally firing it into his pants. The bullet missed him but when he stepped into the street, he was hit by a van, investigators said. Jones managed to stumble to a waiting car, leaving two gold teeth, his gun and a hat lying in the street.' That's a bad day, isn't it?"-**an excerpt of '_Headlines'_ from 'the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.'**

Choccy: I agree with Jay Leno. That's a _really_ bad day. ^_^

A/N: Well, how 'bout some more quotes, hmm? Here's one long dialogue between Inuyasha and Kaede:

_Inuyasha: __"__Someone's talking shit about me.__"__  
Kaede: __"__Inuyasha, its no surprise if someone talks shit about you.__If you did something stupid like that...__"__  
Inuyasha: __"__What? Hey old hag, you are calling me stupid, huh?__"__  
Kaede: __"__You are the stupidest of the stupid… To find the Shikon shards, you got to have Kagome…Although I don't know what happened… Why did you piss her off like that?__"__  
Inuyasha: "Shut up! She just left like that.__"__ *imitates Kagome* "I'm going home, stupid.__"__ *stops imitating* __"__Like that.__"__  
Kaede: __"__Inuyasha...__"__  
Inuyasha: __"__What?__"__  
Kaede: "You didn't sound anything like her.__"_

Choccy: I don't know if that dialogue's quite right, but it's kinda funny nonetheless.

**Part 3: Two Families, Two Teenagers**

****

"…And remember, you can't go anywhere near that bastard's son!" Inuyasha's voice ran out as Koinu left the kitchen table after dinner was finished.

"Yea, whatever, Dad," muttered Koinu with a dismissive wave of her hand. She went into her bedroom, closing the door behind her and flopped down onto her bed. Rays of moonlight filtered in through the azure curtains, casting shadows onto her and her surroundings. 

It was eerie not being able to smell her environment. Everything seemed dull and lifeless compared to usual. Koinu sighed rolling over onto her stomach and pushing back her curtains so she could gaze out her window. She could dimly hear her okaasan, otousan, ototo, and Shippou talking. Her hearing hadn't changed; it had never been terribly youkai-like anyway. As for Shi, in his normal state his hearing was excellent, while his sense of smell was clouded like a ninjen's. _'Its like we're two parts of a hanyou,' _she thought absently. 

Soon afterwards she fell into a deep slumber.

************************************************************************

Yu awoke with a start as one of his younger kyoudai jumped on his stomach. "ARGHHHHHHHH!!!" he shrieked hauling the girl off of him. "Don't do that, Randamu!" 

The little girl, who had a white tail and brown hair, scowled and said, showing her missing teeth, "Momma told me to wake you."

"Next time do it gently," snapped Yu as he slowly crawled out of his makeshift bed. It was made out of bear furs and straw, others like it were used as beds for the other urufu youkai as well. Being the second eldest, and possible future pack leader, he got a small cave to himself, as did Hime. Kouga and Mashiro had one of their own as well, while the other kodomotachi had a large cavern where they all slept. The other wolf demons slept in various caves along the mountainside. 

Yu stretched and changed into a pair of worn jeans and a black T-shirt. He combed his tangled coffee-colored tresses and stepped out of his den and rushed up the mountain just as he did everyday. He reached his oya's den and strode inside. His oya were sitting inside. Mashiro was feeding a baby while some of her other young kodomotachi played on the stone floor. She smiled at Yu and said, "Ohayougozaimasu, Yousukou."

Yu nodded, but didn't say anything. He never felt like speaking in the morning, and the sun was just rising and bathing the forest in light. He sat beside Kouga, who said, "You're taking the morning shift today, Hakkaku will take over at noon, and Hime's taking the night shift again."

Yu nodded groggily, his tail was curled limply around his waist. "Alright, otousan," he said. He stood up and said his good-byes, his eyes droopy. He had hung out with his furenzu late the previous night and now he regretted it. He bounded from the mountain, landing on a tree branch and nearly slipping in his drowsy state. He then hopped from bough to bough, his feet, which were wrapped in rough, white dressings, touched down on each one before bouncing onto the next tree limb.

He stopped at the boundary of the tribe's territory and gazed down from his perch in the trees, listening, smelling. He leaned back and concentrated, his breathing steady and his eyes closed. The distant scent of gasoline made his sensitive nose crinkle in disgust. 

He wouldn't admit it, but he didn't mind going into crowded cities like Tokyo. The amount of smells intrigued him. He decided to travel to Tokyo after his shift was over for the day. It wouldn't take long being only sixty miles away, which wasn't very far for a youkai, and he knew his oya wouldn't mind much. 

So, his mind made up, he started to make his rounds, leaping from tree to tree and staying near the edge of the territory. 

************************************************************************

Koinu awoke much later in the morning, finally rolling out of her soft bed at about ten a.m. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, going into the kitchen and fixing herself a bowl of cereal. Shi wasn't awake yet; she could hear him snoring loudly from his room. Her otousan and okaasan had already left, leaving a note stating they had gone out for breakfast and let them sleep. It added the fact that they were going to the mall afterward to get Inuyasha new shirts. 

Koinu noticed laughingly how her okaasan had added the vague reference that Inuyasha hated shopping. She yawned and decided to get her ototo up. She put her finished bowl in the sink and went into Shi's messy room. He was lying sprawled across his bed, his sheets on the floor in a heap. 

She grinned mischievously, knowing full well the sensitivity of his ears. "**_SHIRAKABA!!!_**" she screamed causing her ototo to jump off his bed and straight out his open, screenless window.

She could hear a roar and a booming, "Damn you, Koinu!" 

Koinu grinned innocently, showing her fangs, as she peered out the window at the ground below. "Just be thankful you've got youkai blood and we've only got one floor," she told Shi.

Shi scrambled off the bush he had landed on and yelled, "You're an ass!"

"Why arigatou, Shi," said Koinu merrily to the potty-mouthed eleven-year-old. She went back into her own bedroom and got changed out of her pajamas into a baby blue tank tops and jean shorts. Shi was already dressed and eating breakfast in the kitchen when she walked back in there. 

"I'm going to the movies with Haipaa and Itoshii," explained Koinu.

"The one at the mall?" inquired Shi with a mouthful of cereal.

"Yea, that's the closest," replied Koinu. "What're you gonna do today?"

"I'll probably be at the mall too. Me and Zat are goin' to hang out with some other guys from our class," answered Shi putting his bowl in the sink as well. 

Koinu nodded and said good-bye. She walked outside, into the garage, and hopped into her car, backing up and then driving down the peaceful street.

************************************************************************

Yu rushed towards Tokyo in a whirl of wind. For speed purposes he was in his youkai form, his wolf-like appearance just a blur to any ninjen that noticed the dirt he was kicking up. He looked quite like an urufu, his fur a deep chocolate-brown and his eyes their usual clear blue, but more canine now. His pointed ears were shifting in the wind and picking up the surrounding sounds. His large mouth, which was filled with fourty-two sharp teeth, was slightly open and in all he was about three and a half feet tall at his shoulders, or about a foot taller than the average adult male wolf. (A/N: I looked all this wolf info up in an encyclopedia just to make sure. They actually do have 42 teeth.)

Upon reaching a busy street leading towards Tokyo, he transformed in mid-run to his ninjen-like form, making sure his tail was tucked into his pants, his pointed ears were hidden behind his hair, and that no one could see him appear in a mini-tornado of wind. Then he stopped, continuing his trek to Tokyo by walking. 

************************************************************************

Koinu, who had met up with her furenzu and watched the movie with them, was now on her way to have lunch with them in the food court of the mall. Haipaa, her pretty dark curls bouncing, was talking about how 'cute' the leading actor had been in the film, while Koinu and Itoshii, who had long ruby locks and very bright, red lipstick on, listened. 

They each ordered burgers from the enterprising food chain, McDonald's. Koinu's nose protested at smelling the greasy cuisine, but she ate it anyway. As she was munching on a French fry, someone caught her eye. She had to do a 'double take' to believe what she had seen.

It was Yousukou, strolling through the mall. She knew he had smelt her, for his head turned abruptly and he looked straight at her.

Koinu stared back at him in amazement, which was when hell broke loose. 

"Wimpy wolf!"

"Inukoru!" 

************************************************************************

A/N: Here's one last quote for you guys: 

_Kaede: "__Oh me… 'Tis ever thus…I am ringed by fools.__"_

Choccy: Poor Kaede. I can sympathize with her… *laughs*

Inuyasha cast: ⌐_⌐ _Hey…_

Choccy: Just kidding, guys. ^_- 

************************************************************************

A/N: Sorry this took me longer than usual but I wasn't sure how I was going to have Kouga and Inuyasha bump into each other… Oh yea, and did I mention ff.net was being extra crappy and not letting me on it!!!

A/N 2: Here are the translations: 

Kyoudai=siblings Oya=parents Ohayougozaimasu=good morning 

Furenzu=friends 

Here are the name translations:

Randamu=random (yep, that's 'cause she was just a random sibling of Yu's.)

Itoshii=lovely 

A/N 3: Review! ^__^ Bye!


	4. The Collision Between Kouga and Inuyasha

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. 

A/N: Does anyone know what the heck's wrong with ff.net? I finished the last chapter on 7/16/03!!! **_I couldn't get on the freakin' website for four days!!!!!!!!!!!!!_** So, since ff.net was acting super crappy, here's a bonus chapter I had time for while I was waiting to post chapter 3! ^_^

A/N 2: Here's a kinda funny dialogue:

_Inuyasha: "Grrrr..."  
Kaede: "That is some face you got there, Inuyasha."_

**Part 4: The Collision Between Kouga and Inuyasha**

****

Koinu recognized her otousan and okaasan's scents immediately, her eyes searching for them. Yu was looking around too. When a crash resonated through the mall, both Koinu and Yu ran towards where the noise had come from. 

In front of a clothing shop were two snarling men, one of which was an inu-hanyou, the other an urufu youkai. Inuyasha and Kouga.

"Mutt!" yelled Kouga.

"Bastard!" shouted Inuyasha, flexing his claws. 

"Otousan?!" hollered Yu, causing Koinu, Kouga, and Inuyasha to gaze at him in confusion.

"Oh! Its you, Yousukou!" said Kouga in realization.

"So this is your brat, wimpy wolf!" snarled Inuyasha.

"I should say the same thing to you, inukoru," snapped Kouga glancing at Koinu.

All eyes except Yu's turned to Koinu then, who backed up slightly.

"What're you doing here, otousan?" inquired Yu acting as if Koinu wasn't there.

"That girl's scent reminded me of this hanyou's. I wanted to see if my instinct was right. She's definitely this mutt's pup," explained Kouga.

Now quite a few people had gathered around them, gazing perplexedly. 

"You insulting me, wolf?" Inuyasha growled.

"Obviously, moron."

Inuyasha made a swipe for Kouga at that affront. Kouga kicked Inuyasha who retaliated with a punch to the former's stomach. Before anything else could occur, a scream rang louder than anyone else's. 

"**_Stop it!_**" shrieked Kagome, her eyes blazing. She had stepped out of the store.

Koinu had no doubt that, under his cap, Inuyasha's ears had drooped. Both Kouga and Inuyasha backed away from each other. 

Kagome stepped forward, saying to the crowd, "Everyone go, there'll be nothing else to see." She walked up to the two males, her face impassive. She punched Inuyasha in his arm in a way that caused no damage but registered to him how irritated she was. 

"It's been awhile, Kouga," said Kagome evenly to the youkai.

Meanwhile, while the adults had been talking Yu had asked Koinu, "Is that your mom?"

"Yep. How'd you know?" questioned Koinu.

"Call it a hunch," replied Yu, laughing.

"Why don't you introduce your obocchan?" asked Kagome causing Yu and Koinu to come forward.

"This is Yousukou," said Kouga. Yu dipped his head slightly to Kagome.

"Hajimemashite," said Kagome, smiling. "This is my ojousan, Koinu."

Yu and Kouga glanced at Koinu, who squirmed under their identical blue gazes. 

"I thought I recognized your voice yelling 'wimpy wolf,' Dad," said a familiar male voice.

It was Shi, his golden eyes glittering with mirth. 

"Another one of yours?" inquired Kouga.

"Ah huh. This is Shirakaba. Shi, this is Kouga and Yousukou," explained Kagome. 

Shi nodded, walking over to his oneesan and Yu, and eyeing Yu coolly. Shi and the short Koinu were about the same height even though they were six years apart. As for Yu, he was a couple of inches taller than both of them. 

They all talked for a while. Kagome, Kouga, and Inuyasha got caught up on each others' lives, while Shi, Yu, and Koinu got to know each other. When the two families parted, each person had very different thoughts going on in their heads. 

************************************************************************

Yu glanced back at Koinu's family as they separated into two cars and a bicycle and followed each other home. His thoughts were a bit muddled so he gently whacked himself in the head, grinning faintly, and followed his otousan home in a cloud of dust. 

Koinu watched him go as she hopped into her car, a warm smile crossing her lips. Then she too left, and nearly collided with her ototo on his bike. 

"Watch it, you love struck moron!" shouted Shi causing the smile to be wiped from Koinu and be replaced by a scowl. 

"Oh yea, bro. Say that again and I'll hit you on purpose!" she snapped passing him by in a scarlet streak.

Shi laughed and sped after her. 

************************************************************************

Yu snarled at Hime as she said, "Well if it isn't the wittle wolfy with the crush on the mutt girl." They were facing each other in front of the main cavern where most of the urufu tribe where hanging out together. Kouga and Yu had just returned and the latter had been confronted by the she-demon.

"Oh shut the fuck up, Hime!!!" growled Yu pushing her out of the doorway. Hime retaliated by kicking him in the groin. "Urgh! Ikeike!!" roared Yu. 

Hime smirked and flashed her fangs at him as if to say _'bring it on.'_

Any further quarrelling was interrupted by their okaasan. "Enough! Leave him be, Hime!" Mashiro looked eerie with her long white locks and tail and her matching flowing gown. Everything about her said quite clearly that her present mood was fury. 

An obedient urufu was at her heels, his dark fur on end like his master's tail and hair. "Come, Yousukou, Kikiwake," said Mashiro. Kikiwake, the wolf, followed her towards the back of the den, as did Yu. Kikiwake sat near her feet while Yu sat down beside her. 

"What is it you want, okaasan?" Yu asked politely.

Mashiro smiled. "Your otousan, the others, and I are going out for a hunt tonight, you have to stay here and watch the little ones."

"A-All of them?" groaned Yu.

"Yes, all fifteen of  your younger kyoudai, Koishii's eleven, and your shukubo's seven kodomotachi, your cousins. So that's only thirty-three to look after by yourself," explained Mashiro. 

"Only thirty-three?! Okaasan, that's a lot!" protested Yu.

"You're the only one who can watch them. Hime's coming with us and besides, she's not good with kodomotachi."

"Neither am I!" exclaimed Yu to no avail.

************************************************************************

"Yu! I'm all wet!"

"Niisan!"

"Oniisan!!!"

"Yu, Itazurakko and Akudou are bein' mean!" 

"Yu!"

"Yousukou!"

"EVERYONE QUIET!!!" shouted Yu over the din of the complaining kodomotachi. "Now, one at a time!" He listened to each child until all thirty-three were satisfied. 

By the time the adults had returned he was looking rather tired and woebegone. He did have enough energy to punch Hime when she laughed at him though.

************************************************************************

"Who was that boy that was with you? He was cute!" Haipaa asked Koinu the following day. They were all sitting together in a little café, eating lunch.

"Oh, you mean Yu? He's just some guy I met a few days ago," replied Koinu as neutrally as she could muster.

"He was _so_ muscular like that guy from the movie!" Haipaa said gleefully.

"Yu?" 

"Of course! Don't you think so?" Haipaa inquired.

"Umm… I dunno."

"Oh! You're hopeless, Koinu Higurashi! Completely hopeless! Tell her, Itoshii!" exclaimed Haipaa.

Itoshii laughed, her lips, which were bright pink that day, made a wide oval shape.  "He was," she agreed. 

"Ha!" yelled Haipaa. "See?"

"Yea, yea. You guys, can dream about him all you want but he lives miles away near Fuji-yama," explained Koinu. 

"Hmm. Well, if we ever go on a road trip together, we can go visit him," said Haipaa.

Koinu smiled at her furendo, trying hard to forget the quivering in her stomach that had occurred when Yu had been standing right next to her. It reminded her too much of how her heart had been broken before.

************************************************************************

A/N: Here's a funny little dialogue between Inuyasha and Kagome:

_Kagome: *to village men* "Don't think about attacking, 'cause if I die, Inuyasha will avenge me!"          _

_Inuyasha: "Avenge you? Who says I'm going to avenge you?"_

_Kagome: "Of course you're going to avenge me! What am I supposed to do if you don't?!"_

_Inuyasha: *sighs* "Fine, I'll avenge you."_

************************************************************************

A/N: Here are the translations for the chapter:

Hajimemashite=How do you do?/Nice to meet you

Ikeike=bitch Shukubo=aunt 

Kodomotachi=children

Oniisan/Niisan=older brother Furendo=friend Here are the name translations: Kikiwake=easily taught/obedient 

Koishii=dear/wanted/beloved/darling

Itazurakko=mischievous boy

Akudou=bad boy 

A/N 2: REVIEW!!!


	5. Samoshii

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. To TetsuoTsubushi & Sailor Universe: Thanks a lot! ^_- 

A/N: This chapter features the song **_"I Know Why The River Runs"_** sung by Lee Ann Womack. I thought it kinda fitted what Koinu was going through trying to get over Samoshii, her ex-boyfriend. ^_^

**Part 5:Samoshii**

About a year before, Samoshii Kare dumped Koinu Higurashi leaving her rather heartbroken. Only a day later, young Shirakaba Higurashi attempted to teach his oneesan's ex-boyfriend a lesson but had only ended up with a black and blue eye and a broken arm. Naturally, Inuyasha got revenge by threatening Samoshii, who stayed far away from Koinu and Shi ever since then. 

                                                       ***

**_When I reach to hold you, I'll still be alone   
When I hear the ringin' of the telephone   
I'll think it is you   
It will not be true _**

  
                                                       ***

Koinu was still healing though, every once and awhile she would feel like she would burst from the pain. When this occurred she would become distant and forlorn, locking herself in her room and staring dismally at her reflection in her bedside mirror. She could recall every time he had touched her and she wondered if he had ever loved her like she had loved him. **_'Never! Never loved you, mutt!'_** an annoying voice would yell. 

                                                       ***

  
**_I know why the river runs   
To a place somewhere far away   
I know why the sky is cryin'   
When there aren't any words to say   
  
_**                                                       ***

****

After awhile she would shout back at herself, _'Why can't I get over that freakin' bastard!'_ She didn't cry anymore; instead, she would find a dull ache in her chest in its place. The pain would beat down at her causing her to wince as if she had actually been hit.

She would remember his face as clearly as ever. She would recollect everything from his smooth jet-black tresses to his deep jade eyes to his baggy clothes. Everything.

She could remember his voice on the answering machine. Deep and crisp, but sometimes alluring. 

                                                       ***

**_I could play the message that you left for me   
I can hear your voice and I could still believe   
That you will soon be home   
But you will never come   
_**  
                                                       ***

Then, the memory of his breakup with her would surface in her mind. He had acted as if it were nothing even though she yelled and broke into tears. She had acted exactly how she hated to act. Totally lovesick. _'Pathetic,'_ she now thought with scorn, but still she ached. 

                                                       ***

**_I know why the river runs   
To a place somewhere far away   
I know why the sky is cryin'   
When there aren't any words to say   
  
There's a silence that I don't want to keep   
There's a hole now where my heart used to be   
  
_**

**_They say that healin' comes in time_**

**_But I don't know what that means_**

  
**_I lie here for so long   
But you will never come _**  
  


                                                       *****__**

All this came rushing back at full force at her as she began to feel _things_ for Yu. But then the pain vanished as she realized what kind of person Samoshii really was.

************************************************************************

A week after the confrontation at the mall, Shippou, his mate Tessie, and their son, Ritoru, came for a visit. Rit, as he was often called, was only a week old, his eyes tightly shut, and his head covered with only little wisps of reddish brown hair.

Kagome smiled at the bebii, causing Shi to say, "I don't want any more kyoudai, Ofukuro! Living with one nutcase is weird enough!" Koinu frowned and whacked Shi on his skull.

Kagome laughed and replied, "Don't worry, Shi. I think two kodomotachi is just fine."

Tessie, who was cradling Rit in her arms, chuckled. Her hair was a bluish gray, hiding pointed ears, and her tail, which was also hidden, was the same color. It was summer after all and being an Artic kitsune youkai her fur, or hair depending on her form, would be white in the upcoming winter. 

Eventually, feeling a bit nervous, Koinu got to hold Ritoru. He yawned and squirmed in her arms. At the expression on his oneesan's face, Shi laughed causing Inuyasha, Shippou, Kagome, Koinu, and Tessie to do the same. 

************************************************************************

After the kitsune family left, Koinu drove to a park in Tokyo on a hunch alone. Her premonition came true. She caught a distinct whiff of youkai and easily recognized Yousukou. He appeared in the next instant, a familiar figure clad in jeans and a T-shirt. 

"Long time no see," he said plopping himself down on the park bench Koinu was sitting on. 

"Yup," she muttered meeting his blue-eyed gaze a bit reluctantly. Her insides thumped in a well-known manner that made her turn away. Samoshii's scent immediately came to her nose by what she thought was his resurfacing memory. She was wrong though for a moment later the teenager himself strolled by. She nearly fell off the bench at the irony. _'Oh geez, not now!'_ she thought urgently. 

But it was him and he had several other buff guys with him. He stepped up to Koinu and shouted, "Well if it isn't my old gal! Now ya try sickin' your dad on us, Koinu! I'm ready!" 

Koinu looked at him a bit helplessly while Yu glanced at him as if he were simply a nuisance. "S-Samoshii," stammered the former. She wasn't afraid, his presence just made her feel pained. 

Yu, on the other hand, leaned back lazily on the chair and asked, "Is there a problem, guys?"

"This bitch's dad threatened me last year, now that I've formed my gang, I'm gettin' payback!" retorted Samoshii. 

"How-How could I have ever-ever loved-" Koinu stuttered.

"Oh shud up, Ko!" snapped Samoshii causing a frown to cross Yu's lips and Koinu to huff.

"Now that wasn't very nice," Yu said simply.

"Nobody asked you, buddy!" Samoshii retorted. 

"What's your point?" Yu inquired as causally as ever.

Koinu could smell his anger though. Wrath was billowing from his usually gentle scent. 

"My point is get lost, asshole!" answered Samoshii angrily.

Koinu had never seen him yell before that day. He seemed to be showing what Yu was concealing. _'Oh why did I fall in love with Samoshii? Was I blind or something?!'_ she asked herself. 

Yu stood up then, Samoshii was taller than him by about three inches, but both were well built and robust. Yu grinned slightly, displaying two sharp fangs. "Asshole?" he questioned. "Now that's not very nice." Then his voice changed from light to ice cold, "Now get outta here."

"Oh yea," Samoshii snapped.

Yu smirked frostily and said, "I won't repeat myself."

Samoshii pushed the urufu youkai but Yu didn't move, his feet planted firmly in the ground. Yu let out a low, feral growl, his eyes flashing. He sighed and threw Samoshii backwards with his palms facing away from himself. 

Koinu grinned and showed her own fangs to Samoshii's goons. Samoshii picked himself off the ground and, muttering several expletives, sulked away, his thugs trailing behind him.

Koinu laughed and leaned against Yu, who turned bright red. He didn't protest though, resting his own chin on the back of Koinu's head. They didn't say anything; they just stood there enjoying each other's company.

                                                       *****__**

I know why the river runs   
To a place somewhere far away   
I know why the sky is cryin'   
When there aren't any words to say   
  


**_I know why the river runs   
To a place somewhere far away   
I know why the sky is cryin'   
When there aren't any words to say_**

****

**_I know why the river runs…_**

****

                                                       ***

************************************************************************

A/N: Here's an _'Inuyasha' _quote: 

_Kagome: "Thank goodness it was just a dream! The math test problems...I couldn't answer any of them...it was scary."___

************************************************************************

A/N: Here are the name translations: Samoshii=selfish/self-seeking/self-interested/mean Kare=he/boyfriend 

(So Samoshii + Kare=Selfish/mean boyfriend ^_-)

Ritoru=little 

And here are the word translations:

Kyoudai=siblings

Ofukuro=macho slang for referring to one's mother

A/N 2: REVIEW!!!!!!!! ^_____^ Bye!


	6. From Quarter Youkai to Hanyou and Back

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar [Or Shokora or Chokoreeto Eclar (Both Shokora and Chokoreeto mean chocolate in Japanese^_-)]

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. To Tinuviel: Yep, a new relationship is blossoming. ^_^ Thankies! 

To Sailor Universe: We'll have to see what happens to Ritoru. Anyhow, Samoshii was nice to Koinu until he dumped her. Thanks again!

To TetsuoTsubushi: *laughing* Yea, they'll get together soon. ^__^ Thanks for reviewing!

To Kyu-bi: Thanks a lot. You were the person that e-mailed me, right?

A/N: Here's a dialogue between Shippou, Inuyasha, and Kagome:

Shippou: "I am a new fighting man."  
Inuyasha: "Stop trying to show off!" *hits Shippou*  
Shippou: "Kagome! Inuyasha is being so mean!"  
Kagome: *sweetly* "Inuyasha..."  
Inuyasha: "No! Kagome, wait!"  
Kagome: "SIT!"

**Part 6: From Quarter Youkai to Hanyou and Back**

****

As fall approached, school started again. Koinu was a senior at Ikasu High School and Shi was attended Otaku Elementary School. Both hung out with their friends. Both felt a bit torn at being apart from the one they cared about. Koinu hadn't seen Yu for quite some time and Shi was in a different class than his crush, Ouka. 

About a week after school began, Koinu was gazing dismally at her school assignment in her bedroom, feeling her head spinning in protest. "Somebody should burn the guy who created math," she muttered as she scribbled an answer down next to the problem. Then, she turned away and went to the kitchen to grab a snack. She returned to find the following mathematical question no easier than its predecessor. She banged her head on her desk, grumping expletives under her breath. She heard laughing and she glanced sideways. 

"Havin' fun?" asked Yu, grinning.

"Oh shut up," snapped Koinu good-naturedly. "You don't have to do this crap."

"What is it?" asked Yu stepping towards her.

"The torture known as math," replied Koinu showing him the problem.

Yu whistled and smirked. "My mom loves these kind of ninjen questions. She's always making me go to the city and get her books filled with 'em. You could ask her for help and bet she would give you a hand," he suggested.

"Really?"

"Ah huh."

"By the way, how'd you get in here?" asked Koinu.

"Your mom let me in," Yu answered.

"What about my dad? Isn't he home? I can smell him."

"Yea, he kinda wanted to kick me out but your mom gave him this 'death look' and he complied," explained Yu.

" 'Death look?' "

"Yea, it was scary."

Koinu laughed and said, "So why don't we go see your mom right now?"

"Alright, come on."

************************************************************************

Koinu followed Yu as best she could as he led the way in his usual tornado-like whirl. Yu glanced back at her and backtracked until he was with her again. "What's wrong?" he asked. He had been about a mile ahead of her.

"I'm only a quarter-youkai, dimwit!" retorted Koinu. She was panting and they still had a good thirty miles left to go till they would reach Mount Fuji and Kouga's pack. 

Yu grinned sheepishly and said, "Well, I could carry you for awhile."

"Errrrr… Are you sure?" Koinu asked, her face heating up against her will.

"Why not? You're not very heavy."

"Not _very_ heavy?" snapped Koinu, one eyebrow cocked and her hands resting on her hips. "How about 'not heavy at all?' "

Yu let out a clear, happy laugh that rang out across the wooded area they were in and traveled through Koinu's very essence, giving her an exultant shiver. "Alright, how's this? You're not heavy at all."

Koinu chuckled and said, "Fine, but if you drop me or make a rude comment I'll slug you."

"Fair enough," said Yu, laughing again. He held out his arms to her and she allowed him to pick her up, her legs propped up over his arm and dangling down. For a few moments both of their faces were red, but then Koinu forced herself to relax, leaning against him slightly. "All set?" inquired Yu.

Koinu cocked her head up at him and nodded. Then Yu sped off with Koinu tucked securely in his arms. Koinu's eyes widened at the velocity, wincing every time Yu would barely miss an object like a tree or a boulder. She had a sneaking suspicion he was doing it on purpose and almost growled. 

Soon Mount Fuji came into view. It looked as if it had been dipped in white, its distant top, which was 12,388 feet above sea level, snow-capped. As they reached the tribe boundary, Yu set Koinu down and motioned for her to follow him. When they reached a tree-filled spot a few minutes away from the enclosed area where all the caverns where, they bumped into Hime who smirked. 

"Well, well, if it isn't the wittle wolfy and the mutt girl," remarked Hime. She was dressed in her full armor, which made Yu rather wary of her intentions. The armor consisted of a thick, russet-colored breastplate and protective buckskin leggings. Her white hair, which only reached the nape of her neck and curled around her ears, was wet and scraggly looking. Her blue eyes glinted dangerously as they glowered back at them.

"We want to see okaasan, Hime," Yu said.

"You can't just bring an outsider onto our land like this."

"Why not? Because you say so?" snapped Yu.

"I am the future leader of the pack after all," replied Hime haughtily.

"You're a _possible_ just like me AND Nyuuriidaa!" shouted Yu.

"That little twerp? He's only eight," retorted Hime.

"So what?! He's the next in line after me! He's one of our younger kyoudai!" 

"Whatever," Hime stated dismissively. 

As they were talking, Koinu had been studying Hime. She appeared as strong as Yu. _'Maybe stronger?'_ she pondered remembering how much older Hime was then Yu and her. She was as tall as Yu and well protected. Koinu was sure the armor would slow down Hime though, which could go against the demoness. 

"Let us go," Yu commanded, his voice cold.

"I will," began Hime before turning her azure eyes on Koinu. "Only if _she_ defeats _me_."

Yu gazed at Hime and Koinu. Koinu had a feeling he was weighing her chances of winning against the urufu youkai. 

"Fine," Koinu said in as poised a tone as she could muster.

Yu could see the uncertain spark in Koinu's golden eyes and he protested, "You don't have to-"

"No," interrupted Koinu. "I'm fine with this."

Hime smirked and said, "Daft mutt." 

Yu stepped out of the way as they sized each other up and prepared to strike. Hime made the first move, slashing at Koinu with her newly extended claws. Koinu jumped out of the way grabbing onto a tree limb above them. She scrambled up, feeling her blood pounding in her ears. Her youkai instincts were kicking in, telling how what to do.

Hime pounced at her causing Koinu to crouch on the bough and strike the she-demon in the face, sending Hime flying. Koinu blinked in surprise and then grinned. _'Maybe I don't know my own strength,'_ she contemplated. She dived off the branch when Hime jumped up and tried to kick her.

Koinu landed on the ground in a dirty heap. Yu almost laughed at her lack of grace but then Hime came down after Koinu, slashing her across her stomach. Koinu winced and rolled away from her opponent, bleeding slightly. She snarled at Hime, crouching in a feral position. Her pupils were narrow slits and her fangs were elongated somehow. 

_'Her youkai blood's getting stronger,'_ thought Yu. He watched as Koinu and Hime came at each other. Koinu threw back her fist and brought it forward hard on Hime's jaw. Hime managed to only scratch Koinu that time. They continued on and eventually Koinu was limping slightly because of a deep cut on her ankle and Hime was losing blood from a slash on her face. 

The hair on Yu's neck was sticking up and something important and just out of reach was nagging at his brain. _'Something's not right,'_ he thought. That was when Koinu was sent soaring backwards and into a tree. Yu called out to her and growled at Hime who was after her prey in a heartbeat. Koinu hit the tree hard but slowly got up again, wiping blood off her lips. She slashed out at Hime as the other female came at her. Hime was sent to the ground but still managed to grab Koinu's ankle, sending her down too. Koinu struggled, kicking Hime until she let go. 

Then they sort of wrestled, each trying to stand up before the other. Eventually Hime won that struggle being heavier and stronger than Koinu. She then pushed Koinu down and stepped on her stomach, causing all the breath to whoosh out of the quarter inu-youkai.  Koinu thrashed about, trying to get free.

"Hime, let her up!" Yu hollered.

Hime smirked, she looked eerie with blood dripping from the scratch on her cheek and her hair tousled. 

Koinu looked worse; she was sweaty and filthy and her clothes were ripped. Her eyes were now fierce pits of golden flames, her pupils contracted. "Git off!" she screamed digging her nails into Hime's leg.

Hime yelped and swore, quickly removing her leg. Koinu got up; she was breathing heavily, letting out great wheezing breaths. Her face was contorted with rage, her mouth open and showing her sharp fangs. 

Yu got another feeling of 'wrongness' then. He felt panicked and his tail was sticking up alertly. _'She's changing,'_ he thought.

Koinu was changing. Her hair was turning white and tiny pointed, canine ears where growing atop her head as her ninjen ears vanished. Her nails were becoming razor-sharp claws as well. 

"She's turning into a hanyou!" shouted Yu in shock. "Gods! Stop, Hime! If she turns into a full youkai she'll lose control!" 

"Oh shut up! I can handle any mutt no matter what they become!" screamed Hime, dodging Koinu as she slashed at her with her newfound claws.

"Urgh! Hime, you moron!" roared Yu. "Stop, Koinu! Koinu!" 

Koinu glanced at him irately. She was losing her control already, her personality gone. Something flickered in her eyes. Something like recognition. 

It made Yu shout, "Listen to me, Koinu! You have to stop! _Stop fighting Hime!_ Calm down!"

Koinu's inu-ears cocked towards him but she didn't look at him again, instead she leaped out of the way as Hime tried to punch her. Then she kicked Hime from behind, sending the urufu youkai to the ground. 

"Urgh!" Yu shouted again in frustration. An idea came to him though. _'This should get her attention, I hope,'_ he thought. "Hey, **_Nobara_**!" he yelled.

Koinu stopped instantly and her head swung around towards Yu.

Yu smiled knowingly. "Come on, Koinu. You remember me still, right? I'm Yousukou. You remember me as Yu."

Koinu scrunched up her golden eyes as if she were fighting to reclaim him in her memory. 

Meanwhile, Hime was getting up and preparing to strike Koinu again. 

Yu noticed this, getting ready to stop her. "Koinu?" he called.

Koinu looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. Her ninjen ears were returning, causing the canine ones to disappear, and her hair was going back to its natural jet-black color. "Y-Yu," she said weakly before collapsing on the dirt, her tears falling. 

Hime was about to cut her foe with her claws then but Yu came at her and kicked her at a tree. "Enough, Hime," he said, picking up the unconscious Koinu.

Hime snarled but didn't get up, instead she stayed on the ground grimly, watching them go towards the caves. 

Yu watched her out of the corner of his eye for a while before realizing she wasn't going to move for the time being. He glanced down at Koinu who had reflexively cuddled up closer to his chest in his arms. He felt his face heating up and looked away. Soon the wolf dens would come into view.

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A/N: Geez, does anyone like Hime? She asked especially cruel in this chapter, picking on Koinu and all. Okay, the right word for her behavior's probably bitchy. *laughing*

A/N 2: Someday Koinu might go full demon. She doesn't have a very good hold on her demon blood after all. *eerie music*

A/N 3: Here are the only translations: 

Ikasu=smart/cool/sharp/stylish (Choccy: So basically Koinu's HS is called Cool High School. *sigh* I'm pathetic.)

Otaku=geek/nerd/enthusiast (Choccy: Shi's school's pretty much is called Geek Elementary School. *sighs again* I'm going from pathetic to just plain pitiful.)

A/N 4: REVIEW!!!! ^___________^ Bye!


	7. Shi’s Guest

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. 

To TetsuoTsubushi: You never know, Hime might have some good points…Then again maybe not! *laughs* An antagonist fits Hime perfectly. Thanks again!

To Tinuviel: Yep, I had too much fun making up the school's names. Anyhow, thanks for reviewing!

A/N: Here's a funny quote:

_Myouga: "Inuyasha-sama...you should get your personality fixed."_

**Part 7: Shi's Guest**

****

Koinu awoke with a start, sweat lining her brow. She could recall only bits and pieces of her battle with Hime, her mind fuzzy.

"Ah. You're awake," said a gentle female voice. 

Koinu could tell the woman was an urufu youkai even though her head was pounding and she felt shaky. The smell was unmistakable. "Who-Who are you?" she inquired lifting her head up off the furs she seemed to be laying on.

"My name is Mashiro," replied the lady wolf coming into view. It was indeed Yu's okaasan, her long white hair flowing down her back and her matching tail curved out behind her elegantly. She smiled and crouched down and handed Koinu a little strip of meat. "Eat it. It'll help you get your strength back. My sister's a hanyou and whenever she lost control she would forget what she was doing when it happened. I think because you're only a quarter youkai you feel so ill now."

Koinu took the meat, nibbling on it absently. "Where's Yu?" she asked after awhile.

By then Mashiro had already gotten up and was about to step out of the cave into the diminishing light outside. She stopped and replied, "I'll go get him."

She left leaving Koinu to feebly slump back onto the furs and close her eyes. She could recall turning back to her normal self. _'It hurt,'_ she thought.

After a few moments, Yu came into the cavern temporarily blocking all the light that was filtering in. He sat down beside Koinu, asking, "Dochirahe?"

"I'm alright," answered Koinu.

She wasn't meeting his blue-eyed gaze though so he knew something wasn't right. "What's wrong?" he inquired.

"Its just a headache, really," Koinu replied.

"You're lying," whispered Yu lightly. He lifted up her chin and said, "Come on, look at me. You're fine now."

Koinu met his gaze reluctantly. Gold met blue and Yu knew she had been in pain in an instant.

"It hurt to transform like that, didn't it?" he asked.

"It-It felt like I was drowning in my own youkai blood," explained Koinu, her eyes glittering with emotion. She laughed uneasily and turned away.

Yu sighed. He could read her so easily. "Do you want me to take you home and bring you back tomorrow to ask my mom for help with that math thing? It's already sunset after all," he noted.

Koinu nodded. "Fine, it is only Saturday after all so I can do it tomorrow," she said.

"Alright, I'll carry you the whole way."

"You sure?" Koinu asked as he stood up.

"Yea, you're not heavy at all, remember?" Yu teased.

He wanted her to laugh and his goal was accomplished right after he said that. After her laugh fest she tried to get up as well to no avail. Her head just pounded too much.

Yu grabbed her hands and gave them a tug, pulling her up and against his chest. Her face reddened and she pulled away regretfully. He picked her up in his arms and walked to the cave entrance, there he jumped down the cliff and to the earth below. Koinu had to muffle a scream as he did this; she hadn't realized how high they were.

Yu ran through the forest and then down to the road that led to Tokyo. They were a blur of wind as he skimmed across the ground, their hair and Yu's tail flapping about.

They reached Koinu's house about a half an hour later. Yu stopped and stood Koinu up on the front step. Koinu rang the doorbell, too tired to fish out her keys from her ragged jeans. Inuyasha growled lowly at Yu as he opened the door. "What did you do?" he barked at him as he helped Koinu limp into the house and onto a couch in the living room.

"Its-Its my fault, Dad," said Koinu. "I shouldn't have tried to fight his oneesan. She was too strong, I started losing control and Yu stopped me. If it wasn't for him I probably would've gone full youkai." By then Kagome had come into the living room and was gone again getting fresh bandages from their medicine cabinet.

************************************************************************

"Your okaasan did a good job with these old cloths," Kagome remarked to Yu after the new bandages were firmly placed.

"She's the tribe healer," explained Yu. 

Koinu lounged back on the sofa she was sitting on. She closed her golden eyes and opened one when Shi came through the front door. "What happened to you?" he asked, taking off his baseball cap. He looked extremely pleased with something.

"Oh just your everyday train wreck," said Koinu sarcastically. 

Shi smirked and said equally sarcastically, "Well whatever happened atleast you've still got your shining personality."

"Hardy har har," snapped Koinu dryly. Both of her eyes were open now and she was looking like she was ready to tackle her ototo. 

Yu gripped her arm from where he was leaning against the couch from behind it. Koinu relaxed to Shi's surprise causing the shaggy white-haired boy to grin. He didn't say anything though and went to his room.

Yu let go and stood up. "I should be getting back now. I have the night shift tonight. It starts soon," he explained. 

Koinu looked up and him and nodded.

"Are you sure?" asked Kagome.

"Yea, I'll get in trouble if I'm late," said Yu. "Besides, I bet my dad is mad already 'cause Hime, my oneesan, abandoned her shift to attack Koinu."

They said their good-byes; Inuyasha was acting a bit friendlier, but was far from being truly sociable towards Yu. 

Yu sped off in his usual whirl of wind, glancing back once to see Kagome in the doorway. Koinu was still too dizzy to move very well on her own. 

He smiled faintly. Koinu had proved how tough she was that day.

************************************************************************

The following day, Koinu woke up and got ready for Yu to pick her up. She grabbed her homework, which, because of the fight the previous day, was looking a bit crumpled and woebegone, and stuffed it into her jeans' pocket. She pulled back her long, raven-colored tresses in a ponytail and put on her favorite necklace, a gold chain with a tiny tear-shaped blue topaz as its pendent. (A/N: I have one of these. I love it. ^_^) 

She went into the kitchen where Shi was already eating breakfast. "Where's Mom and Dad?" inquired Koinu as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. 

"Mom went to breakfast with Uncle Souta, and Dad went out somewhere. 'Probably went to see Shippou or something. Both let us sleep late," explained Shi. 

"Hmm. What are you doing today?"

"Zat is coming over for lunch."

"What are you gonna make?"

"Hot dogs," replied Shi.

"'Makes sense considering that's the only thing you can make without burning," teased Koinu. 

"Like you should talk."

Koinu laughed and said, "I'm going with Yu back to Fuji-yama. His Mom's gonna help me with a math problem."

"Is that all?" inquired Shi, one eyebrow cocked.

"Oh shut up, squirt!" snapped Koinu.

"Squirt? I'm as tall as you, you mizetto!" retorted Shi.

Koinu stuck her tongue out at her ototo, which was when Yu decided to make his presence known. "Very mature, Ko," he said, laughing.

Koinu's head turned around sharply and she grinned sheepishly. Yu was leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen doorway, his arms crossed and his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Ko _does_ mean child," Shi said mockingly.

Koinu kicked her ototo who yelped and swore. 

"Where does this bad language come from?" Yu commented.

"Oh, we learned when we were little," said Koinu and Shi added, "from our dad."

Yu chuckled and stepped together the kyoudai. 

"I'll be done in a minute," said Koinu finishing her cereal. 

Yu nodded and waited, examining the two kyoudai. They both had golden eyes but Koinu's seemed 'deeper' with little flecks of darker gold. Shi's hair was shockingly bright in the morning light while Koinu's was dark. They were the same height and quite alike when it came to the shape of their faces. Shi looked a bit more like his otousan than Koinu did though. He was like a smaller version of Inuyasha with much shorter hair. Koinu looked like her okaasan but with different color eyes and bushier hair. She was a bit shorter than Kagome as well.

In a few moments Koinu was done and had put her bowl in the sink. "Ready?" she asked Yu who had a distant look on his face. 

He snapped out of his trance and said, "Alright. See ya later, Shi!"

Shirakaba nodded and said good-bye to them as well. He watched as they took off, his keen eyes noticed worriedly that Koinu was still limping. He turned back to his own finished breakfast and cleaned up. 

_'Soon Ouka'll be here!'_ he thought giddily. He had invited his crush over, not his best friend. He was terribly nervous. 

The doorbell rang a half an hour later and he took a deep breath. He opened the door to see eleven-year-old Ouka, her shoulder-length black hair and her bright green eyes glittering in the sunlight. 

"Umm…  H-Hi, Ouka," stammered Shi.

Ouka smiled and said, "Hello, Shirakaba."

"Oh, you can call me Shi," said Shi letting her inside.

"Alright," said Ouka. She was adorned in a cute shirt and shorts that were light pink with white daisies. "So what are we going to eat?"

"I'm gonna cook hot dogs, if you don't mind that is."

"That's fine," agreed Ouka following him into the kitchen and sitting on one of the kitchen chairs. "Need any help?"

"No, no, I'll be fine," said Shi, getting the frozen food out of the freezer. 

Ouka nodded and watched Shi as he cooked.

Shi could 'feel' her eyes on him and he gulped. _'Gotta stay calm. She's actually here, remember? She accepted your invitation to lunch…'_ he thought. He sighed and glanced at Ouka who was looking at him intently. She smiled at him.

Shi couldn't help but smile back. _'Maybe this was a good idea after all,'_ he pondered cheerfully.

************************************************************************

A/N: Here's some quotes between Inuyasha and Kaede:

_Inuyasha: *digs a shallow ditch, places the wounded Kaede in it, and covers her with leaves and soil* __"…hide here! I'll come back for you later… if I don't forget."_

_Kaede: __"See that you do not, boy!"_

************************************************************************

A/N: Here are the translations:

Dochirahe=How are you?

Mizetto=midget A/N 2: Review! ^___________________________^ 

Koinu: That's a big mouth.

Choccy: _Hey…_ That wasn't nice.

Koinu: *shrugs*

Choccy: Anyway, bye! ^_-


	8. Karasubairo and Yaki Shinrin

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. 

To Kyu-bi: I reply to everyone even when all I can say is "Thanks for reviewing." Well, thanks for reviewing! ^_-

To Sailor Universe: Yea, Hime is a hag. *laughs* Thanks again!

**_Attention: I will be on vacation till August 12th of 2003! I'm be bringing my laptop though so I'll try to post atleast one chapter while I'm gone, but don't count on it! I'm sorry, guys, but atleast I'm letting you know! ^_^;;_**

**Part 8: Karasubairo and Yaki Shinrin**

****

Mashiro read the mathematical problem with obvious delight, her green eyes sparkling. After a few moments she looked up at Yu and Koinu. "Well, its not terribly difficult if you know what to do," said Mashiro. She was sitting on some furs in her den, while Koinu and Yu stood before her. 

Yu watched as his okaasan spent the next half hour explaining and assisting Koinu with the question. When she was done, Koinu was practically glowing with happiness as she thanked Mashiro. 

"Now," asked Mashiro, "who wants lunch?"

Yu and Koinu nodded. Koinu tucked her paper into her jean pocket and they both followed Mashiro to the back of the cave. The demoness handed them little strips of smoked meat and flasks of water. 

Koinu could understand why all the urufu youkai in Kouga's tribe where so thin. Her own stomach was grumbling after she had finished the small 'lunch.' She sighed but didn't complain.

"Hakkaku!" called out Mashiro as she looked out from the cavern opening. 

A wolf demon with spiky locks appeared a minute later. "Yea, Mashi," he said.

"Give this to Kouga and the others," explained Mashiro, handing him a basket full of shreds of beef.

"Sure," said the male urufu youkai grabbing the container.

"Arigatou, Hakkaku."

Koinu watched the basket go a little hungrily. _'Oh well,'_ she thought.

"Give these to your little kyoudai, Yu," said Mashiro, handing him a smaller bin filled with even thinner meat slivers.

"Alright," said Yu standing up and taking the basket. He too left, through the doorway, leaving Koinu to sit beside Mashiro.

"I'm the healer and I store the food for the pack," explained Mashiro.

Koinu nodded, her thoughts wandering. She immediately thought of Shi. He'd been lying, she was sure of that now. He was such a horrible liar. He would never look someone in the eye when he was doing it. _'Who was he really having lunch with?'_ she pondered. She couldn't think of a definite person though so she went on to another thought. 

************************************************************************

Later that afternoon, Yu took Koinu home in the usual whirlwind. Koinu said good-bye to Yu and, once inside, hunted Shi down. "Yo, SHIIII!!!" she called.

Shi jumped and turned to Koinu darkly. He was sitting in his room in front of his computer and now was eyeing his oneesan. "What do ya want?" he snapped, though he was having trouble keeping in his glee.

"'Just to see my favorite ototo."

"I'm your _only _ototo," retorted Shi turning back to the processor. 

"True," muttered Koinu, grinning. She had noticed his poorly disguised joy and it gave her an idea as to who had been with him. "How was Ouka?" she asked innocently.

"She was fine-waaa!!! I mean-_oh!_ Damn you, Koinu!" he said realizing his slip. 

Koinu chuckled triumphantly, making a 'victory sign' with her fingers. "Gotcha."

"Oh shut up!"

Koinu smirked and queried, "So, what did you two do?"

"N-Nothing, we just talked and had lunch," replied Shi.

"And?"

"_And what?!_"

"And what else? You obviously did something else to be so flustered, gumai," reprimanded Koinu. 

"Oh shut up, baka!"

"Tell me, teinousha!!"

"Urgh!"

"Shirakaba, tell me!"

"NO, NOBARA!!"

"**_TELL ME NOW OR I'LL UNPLUG YOUR COMPUTER!!!_**" snarled Koinu.

Shi shivered slightly and consented. "Fine, fine. She just kissed my cheek when she left, okay? Now go away, baka."

Koinu grinned and complied, leaving his room and going into her own. That was when a thought struck her making her bang her own head with a pillow. _'Atleast Shi's crush kissed him on the cheek. I haven't been kissed by my crush at all!'_ She sighed and flopped down on her bed. _'Oh well.'_

************************************************************************

Yu hopped from tree to tree without missing, his steps agile. His senses were alerted to a rustle below him and he looked down, stopping and couching on a bough. His nose told him the creature below him was some kind of mix of canine youkai. He could smell urufu, inu, and kitsune quite clearly. The mutt youkai was in his full demon form, his fur a matted, scruffy black color. His eyes were a deep, piercing emerald that sent shivers through Yu and made his hair prickle in alarm. His ears were long and pointed upwards, each tipped with a white patch. He was enormous. A huge canine with lengthy, sharp fangs.

_'What's he doing?'_ wondered Yu from his perch. 

The youkai was sniffing the ground like a bloodhound, his huge dark nose pressed against the dirt. He looked up then, his fangs bared. Yu froze in terror. Those eyes were looking at him with abject loathing. 

"Err…" he began before recalling what he usually said to intruders. "T-This is my father's territory. You're trespassing so leave!" For once he wished he had something better to say. The mutt demon growled causing Yu to stand up in distress. 

The youkai pounced up at him using his strong back legs. Yu met him head on, kicking him in the stomach. Unfortunately, the demon grabbed his leg and yanked on him. The youkai bit down on Yu's leg causing agony and a warm gush of blood. Yu cried out in pain and slashed out at the mutt with his extended claws. The mutt youkai let go, causing Yu to fall and hit the ground hard. 

He scrambled onto his knees, his leg flooding blood. The pain was nearly blinding but he began to quickly crawl away. His own youkai blood would heal him as long as he had enough time. 

But time wasn't something he had in abundance at the moment. 

The mutt youkai came down after him with a roar.

************************************************************************

Koinu stared at the clock on her computer screen apprehensively. Yu should have been there ten minutes before at noon. But he wasn't and it left her with a nervous feeling creeping up her back. _'I'll give him twenty more minutes,'_ she told herself. 

At half past twelve Koinu decided to go see Yu and find out what was keeping him. She said farewell to her okaasan and otousan only because Shi was out with his furenzu. 

She took off, using her youkai abilities. It took her about twenty minutes to reach Kouga's territory. When she did the over-whelming scent of fresh, sticky blood reached her sensitive nose. 

Yu's blood.

The realization made her quicken her pace. She reached an area enclosed with tall trees surrounding it and saw Yu and the mutt youkai. Yu was standing, facing the creature, his leg bleeding freely. He had a few scratches and cuts on his body as well, some of which were trickling thin trails of blood. He was panting and dodging the stampede-like maneuvers the mutt was doing. 

Koinu almost called out to him but stopped. Instead she crept around the area behind the trees until she was closer to the mixed demon. Then she pounced out from the trees and kicked and punched the demon. The mutt stumbled back snarling at her. 

The youkai transformed next, his features twisting and becoming mostly ninjen-like. When he was finished shape shifting, he smirked, showing his fangs. He had shoulder-length, sleek black hair and was adorned in a navy blue business suit. A white shirt could be seen under his suit and around his neck was a silver chain with a small curved fang as a pendent. His eyes still consisted of a swirling, deep green and his arms were crossed. 

Koinu watched him warily, her golden eyes never leaving him. "Who are you?" she barked, stepping closer to Yu.

"I'm called Yabai Kiba, youjo," replied the mixed youkai coldly. He pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped Yu's blood from his mouth carelessly. 

"You're 'Dangerous Fang?!' " gasped Yu, clutching his leg wound.

"Hai."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have a job to do, booi," answered Yabai Kiba. 

"So you decided to attack some random person on the way?!" shrieked Koinu.

"Its not my fault the kid's a hopeless fool."

"**_Urgh!_**"

"Leave the kodomotachi along, Yaki," reprimanded a woman coming towards them.  She was beautiful with full lips but a stern face. Her hair was waist length and raven-black. She was adorned in a dark shirt and short shorts. She had on matching black combat boots and had eyes as piercingly emerald as Yabai Kiba's. 

"What are you doing here, Karasu?" snapped Yabai Kiba. 

"I'm keeping you from making more of a fool of yourself," retorted the woman. She turned to Koinu and Yu and said, "My name's Karasubairo Shinrin and this is my tsuin, Yaki Shinrin. She added laughingly, "Aka Yabai Kiba." She smiled slightly and continued, "Yaki was once engaged to your okaasan, booi. But she went with your otousan instead and Yaki was left alone. Over time he became a renowned assassin, naturally not a lot of people liked him and he decided to come after your otousan's pack today because someone hired him to. Being the dumb ass my brother is, he attacked you without thought."

"Go away, Karasu," growled Yabai. 

"What? Or you'll kill me too, Yaki?!" snapped Karasubairo. 

Both Koinu and Yu smirked faintly as the killer and his sister yelled at each other. "Take this for his leg, girl," said Karasu mid-retort throwing a pale purple cloth to Koinu..

Koinu caught it and wrapped it around Yu's bleeding appendage. Yu looked a bit faint from loss of blood but otherwise he was feeling better already. 

A rush of wind alerted them of the rest of the wolf tribe's presence. "Yaki? Karasu?" queried Mashiro, a baby and a toddler in her arms. At her feet were several other children. Her and the others were all either standing on tree limbs or on the ground encircling the enclosed area. "What happened to you, Yousukou?" asked Mashiro.

"'Smells like that guy attacked him, Mashi," said a teenage urufu youkai with short, curly red tresses. 

All eyes turned to Yabai who shifted uneasily. 

"Well?" snapped Kouga.

"Yaki was sent to assassinate all of you," said Karasu cheerfully.

Yabai blanched and snarled at his tsuin. 

"Nani?!" Mashiro gasped. 

"He won't though. Right, Yaki?" reassured Karasu.

Yabai grumbled but eventually replied, "I didn't really intend to bite the kid, I came here to inform you all of the call for your eliminations."

"Oh really?!" retorted Koinu. She was finding it hard to trust a guy with a little of Yu's blood still on his face.

"I had a feeling you would betray me, Kiba," said a low threatening voice. "Atleast you managed to gather them all in one place so it'll be easier to kill all of you," the person added.

The following moment they were surrounded by thirty adult youkai of varying kinds. At their head was a female neko youkai in her ninjen form. "Kill them all," she ordered in the same tone. 

Koinu found herself in the middle of a battleground with an injured Yu at her side, a pack of urufu youkai (only half of which were adults or teenagers), and two mutt youkai (one of which she didn't trust at all). She gulped. _'Ah oh.'_

************************************************************************

**_A/N: Attention: Remember, I will be on vacation till August 12th of 2003! I'm be bringing my laptop though so I'll try to post atleast one chapter while I'm gone, but don't count on it! I'm sorry, guys, but atleast I'm letting you know! ^_^;;_**

A/N 2: Here are the regular translations:

Gumai=stupid

Teinousha=imbecile/moron Youjo=little girl Booi=boy Tsuin=twin Here are the name translations: Yabai=dangerous Kiba=tusk/fang 

Yaki=night air/stillness of night/cool evening

Karasu=crow/raven

Karasubairo=glossy black Shinrin=forest/woods A/N 3: Don't forget to review! Bye! 


	9. Losing Grip Again

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. 

To Sailor Universe3: *falls off chair laughing* Maybe I'll have Hime killed for you, I'm not sure yet though. *shrugs* Anyway, thanks for reviewing! As for Koinu going half demon, you'll see what she does in this chapter… (P.S. Hime doesn't die but she does get wounded. ^_-)

To TetsuoTsubushi & Tinuviel: I don't know what happened to your reviews but I got them due to review alert. (When I go onto my account I'm afraid I can't see them, which means I bet nobody else can either.) 

To just TetsuoTsubushi: I like Yaki & Karasu too. They complicate things considering it's hard to trust them. Anyway, thanks again!

To Tinuviel: You changed your penname to Anandria? Just making sure. Anyhow, thank you for the review!

A/N: I would've atleast _started_ this chapter while I was on vacation but my freakin' family laptop decided to act like a piece of crap!!!! *ponders the idea of throwing laptop out of window for the millionth time* It seems it needs a new hard drive or something and its only 2 freakin' weeks old! URGH!!! *types random things to express feelings* @%#$#&%$#*%&*%! *takes a deep breath* ^_^ *sigh*

A/N 2: Anyhow, I'm back so here's the next chapter! 

****

**Part 9: Losing Grip Again**

****

Koinu shivered, terror and animalistic instinct gripping her. She glanced around her at the urufu youkai tribe. Hime was snarling at the surrounding danger. Koinu could smell Hime's fear though and she knew that the wolf she-demon was quaking inside. Mashiro and Kouga were both standing beside their young kodomotachi, their tails sticking up defensively. Mashiro had five of her offspring in her arms by then, all of which were trembling. Their tiny tuffs of tail were wrapped around their okaasan's arms. 

Yu was crouching beside Koinu, bleeding through the lavender cloth wrapped around his leg. Koinu's nose crinkled at the overwhelming scent of his blood. He would heal quickly being a young youkai, but only if he stayed put. Koinu found that unlikely in their current situation and sighed. 

That was when the army-like force that surrounded the pack attacked, the neko youkai at their head. Koinu's youkai blood stirred but she quenched it and stepped in front of Yu, whacking at a pair of oncoming kitsune youkai with her claw-like nails. She scratched one on his face but the other slashed her arm causing blood to fly and the sound of tearing flesh and cloth to resonate through the clearing in the forest. 

She winced and kicked the kitsune. She could hear war cries and snarls coming from both sides as the other youkai faced off. Yu finished the other fox demon with a slash of his own claws through the kitsune's chest. 

Several youkai had already transformed to their full youkai form including Hime (whose white fur was glistening with sweat and blood), Mashiro, and Kouga. Many of the kodomotachi were crying in fear while numerous urufu youkai protected them. The thick odor of blood was strengthening by the minute as the crimson stuff covering much of the grass. Koinu was feeling faint from the force of the smell but she still took down her opponents with Yu's assistance. 

Meanwhile, Yabai Kiba and Karasu were fighting back-to-back hacking at itachi youkai their movements exactly the same. Both of them had a few cuts on their arms but they were doing all right in the long run. 

Koinu wasn't though. She was winded, scratched up, and the amount of blood around her was making her feel nauseous. Yu was sagging beside her, his injury inflicted by Yabai keeping him from moving very well. 

Koinu's golden eyes flickered a deeper gold color every time her youkai blood began to intensify. She fought it while punching and kicking her foes. Yu could smell the change in her scent, making him wary. 

Koinu was thrust to the ground hard by a huge chikin youkai. The demoness was in her youkai form, her feathers flying in all directions as she let out a triumphant screech. Yu jumped to Koinu's rescue kicking the she-demon from the side. The chikin youkai tipped sideways but she didn't fall over. Instead she grabbed the slower-than-usual Yu with her beak. 

"**_YU!!!_**" screamed Koinu standing up in alarm. Her long black hair was sticking out of a ponytail and her clothes were tattered and blood-splattered. 

She could feel her youkai blood escalating and her vision sharpened. She tried to stop it but it was too late. Her ninjen ears disappeared and were replaced by tiny, pointed inu ones. Her claws and fangs lengthened and her tresses became pure white with her own blood as highlights. 

Yu had scrunched up his eyes in pain and now opened them as he realized what was happening to Koinu below him. Koinu was definitely a hanyou, her eyes glittering with swirls of deep gold. Yu struggled harder in his captor's beak and yelled, "Koinu, listen! Calm down! I'll be fine! **_Koinu!_**"

Koinu merely displayed her sharp fangs and looked at the chikin she-demon with a bloodlust. Inside all her thoughts were on destroying the youkai. 

"You're dead," mouthed Koinu to the demoness, a smirk on her face afterwards. "Good-bye," she added, jumping up in a flash of white and kicking the chikin youkai in the head.

Koinu landed back on her feet gracefully and caught Yu as he fell from his foe's bill. It seemed that due to Koinu's increased youkai blood she wasn't very clumsy currently. 

The chikin demoness collapsed, coughing blood before going into unconsciousness. Koinu set Yu down, her eyes never meeting his as if something inside of her were ashamed of her bloodthirsty behavior. 

"Koinu…" muttered Yu searching her face for any signs of her normal persona.

Koinu stood back up only to be knocked down by a sukanku youkai. She growled and hopped back to her feet, standing above Yu protectively. The skunk demon barred his fangs at her, but Koinu simply made a lopsided sneer. The sukanku was in his ninjen form; his long black tail had a white stripe like that of a real skunk's and his hair was short with white and black coloring. His beady black eyes glared at the young hanyou and he pounced. Koinu slashed at his chest with her gory claws leaving three graze marks.

The sukanku youkai countered with a swipe of his own at her face. Koinu cried out, four fresh claw marks on her dirty cheek. Her blood dripped off her cheek and onto her chin where it rolled off onto her filthy shirt.

Yu grabbed her leg, pleading, "Listen to me, Nobara! Calm down! It's me! Yu! Remember?"

But this time saying her real name only caused Koinu's inu ears to twitch dismissively. Koinu lunged at her opponent and both of them let out a roar and lashed out at each other. Both attacks hit home causing them to roar and lung again. 

_'I have to stop this!'_ Yu thought. He had to roll away from a kick aimed at his chest though, which was from a nearby magamo youkai. The duck demon tried to kick him again so Yu quickly stood up and grabbed his enemy's webbed foot in midair. He then thrust the mallard youkai away from him, sending him flying. 

He turned back to Koinu and the sukanku youkai's fight, pondering ways to get Koinu back to normal. A few minutes later, the skunk demon cut Koinu across her abdomen causing her to let out a scream. It was a very youkai-like scream though, and in the next instant, Koinu was transforming again. Her eyes turned blood red and her pupils contracted into tiny slits. Her fangs became even longer, curling over her lip while two purple lines appeared, one on either side of her face. 

_'Oh no! **She-She's turning into a full youkai!**'_ panicked Yu, backing away. 

Koinu smirked, flexing her claws and eyeing the sukanku youkai lethally. She struck the youkai with a lightning quick movement right in his chest. Koinu's hand went threw the demon with a sickening noise, blood splattering on her front and the grass beneath them. 

Koinu preceded this by turning to another enemy youkai. She cut him in half and went after several more, slicing each in the same way. Both Karasu and Yabai stopped and looked over at the feral girl in wonder.

From behind, Koinu was attacked by the neko youkai, who crushed Koinu under her feet. Koinu roared trying to throw the woman off of her. The feline demoness was very tan with ruby-red eyes and a tight azure body suit with a metal breastplate and kneepads over it. She had a buzz cut, leaving only a thin layer of flaxen hair on her head. Under her body suit robust muscles bulged and underneath a cut in the thick fabric, a tattoo of a ferocious jaguar could be seen. 

"So, if it isn't a little quarter youkai gone mad," said the she-demon lightly. Then she continued in her previous cold tone, "I am Lady Kyattsuai Torafu, *genaku of this gyangu. *  You've killed many of my soldiers, youjo. I don't like that." She dug her heel into Koinu back causing Koinu to wither. She remained silent though causing the cat demoness to say, "That's not painful enough for you, inukoru? How's this?" Lady Torafu lifted her foot again and pounded her foot down on the back of Koinu's head. Koinu's face was pressed into the dirt so she couldn't breathe. She struggled harder pushing up with her hands. (A/N: *head gangster of this gang*)

Yu leapt at Lady Torafu, throwing her off Koinu and landing in a heap on the soil. "Urgh," he groaned and crawled over to the sputtering Koinu. 

Koinu jumped up, snarling at the feline she-demon. She was looking even more worse-for-wear, her shoulders sagging and her face caked with mud. She lunged at Lady Torafu, who dodged out of the way sending Koinu back to the earth with a growl of rage. Koinu was back on her feet in seconds though grabbing Lady Torafu's neck from behind. The neko youkai clasped Koinu's hands, trying to remove them from her throat. 

Once again that left Yu with a little time to think of a plan to get Koinu back to her usual self. _'Come on, Yousukou! **Think!**' _he yelled at himself. _'There's gotta be a way to do this…'_ He stared around the clearing looking for any inspiration. He glimpsed bodies everywhere, most of which, to his delight, belonged to Lady Torafu's gyangu. 

He heard the appalling sound of ripping flesh and jerked his head back towards Koinu and Lady Torafu. Koinu had slit Lady Torafu's throat with her claws and the neko youkai had dug her claws into Koinu's arms in retaliation. Blood was flowing freely from both of them and Yu turned away, pressing his palms to his temple. An idea struck him and he thought, _'Its better than doing nothing.'_ Then he bounded towards the fight pushing Koinu out of the way. Koinu snarled, exposing her fangs.

Lady Torafu eyed Yu before charging at him and bringing her foot up for a kick. Yu bit down on her foot causing a roar to ring out from her. Yu then grabbed her and whispered in her ear as she struggled, "Why don't you and your remaining pets leave my otousan's territory, hmm?" He smirked and added, digging one of his claws into her shoulder, "It would be beneficial on your part after all." 

Lady Torafu let out a scream and Yu released her. She stumbled away from him, snapping at her five enduring soldiers to follow her. In moments they were gone leaving a bloody mess in their wake. Twenty-four members of Lady Torafu's army and twelve urufu youkai from Kouga's pack had died, one of which was one of Yu's own younger kyoudai, seven-year-old Rosuto. 

Yu could see his okaasan sobbing over Rosuto's gory body while his other little kyoudai and Kouga surrounded her doing the same. Hime was sitting against a tree while Hakkaku tended her wounds, which she had in a plenty. Her pure white hair was streaked with blood and her face was abnormally pale. Other urufu youkai were tending the injuries of their fellow tribe's men. 

Yu sighed and walked up to Koinu, who was clenching her hands into fists causing her claws to dig into her already-torn-up palms. He put both of his hands on her shoulders and rested his forehead against the back of her head. Koinu let out a breath and loosened her fists. 

"Come on, Koinu. They're gone now. It's time to rest," Yu whispered into her bloodstained hair. 

Koinu's inu ears twitched and she let out a heavy sigh. "I-I'm sorry, Yu. I-I don't think I-" she muttered. She collapsed in Yu's arms, her normal features returning. Yu made a small smile, carrying her over to the others.

The stench of blood was heavy in the air and the sound of weeping resonated through the forest. Only two people remained apart from the others, feeling out of place among the dead bodies, the grief-stricken pack, and the unconscious quarter inu-youkai girl. Yaki and Karasubairo Shinrin both glanced at each other, knowing they were the cause of the pain.

"We-We should've stayed away," mumbled Karasu.

"Its mostly my fault," interjected Yabai Kiba. "I shouldn't have injured the booi out of spite towards Kouga."

"You shouldn't have taken the job in the first place," added Karasu. 

"Thanks for making me feel better," said her tsuin dryly.

"You're welcome."

"Oh shud up."

"Okay, Yaki."

Yabai flinched at the usage of his real name, but he said no more. 

When Koinu awoke a day later, the Shinrin futago where gone, but she dismissed it quickly due to the fact that her whole body ached and she felt horrible. 

**_Blood. So much blood._**

She was alone in an urufu den but the smell of blood was still with her and she leaned over and threw up. She passed out again then, shivering. 

************************************************************************

Yu watched her with concern from the opening to the den. His own injuries were mostly healed, but that left him with no less worry. He could tell Koinu was still fighting with her youkai blood. Her scent changed repeatedly as she struggled in her half-comatose state. "What's wrong, Koinu?" he asked the cataleptic girl. He knew she wouldn't respond but he continued anyway and said, "Why can't you control it, this fourth of youkai blood in you? _Why?_" Yu sighed and watched Koinu as she lay nearly-lifelessly. Then he turned and hopped down the mountain, his eyes stinging. He had to tell Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shi what had happened.

As he ran threw the forest he didn't hear Koinu calling out weakly in her sleep-like state. "No…_Yu!_ **_Yu!_**"

************************************************************************

A/N: Geez, that was probably the bloodiest chapter I've ever written in my life. Don't think the gore is over yet though… ^_-

A/N 2: Here are the translations:

Itachi=weasel/skunk/mink/ermine Chikin=chicken Sukanku=skunk Magamo=mallard duck 

Youjo=little girl

Kyattsuai=cat's-eye 

Torafu=tiger's stripes

Genaku=head gangster

Gyangu=gang Rosuto=lost Futago=twins 

A/N 3: Review! ^____^ Bye! 


	10. Trapped Within

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, and all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins. 

A/N: This chapters features Rufio's song **_"Decency."_** I've never heard this song but I thought the lyrics kinda fit this chapter. This is a really strange chapter… Btw, I don't own the song so don't sue me. ^_^

A/N 2: ^__^ Yay! Chapter 10! Double-digits woo! *laughing* Anyway, here's the next chapter!

**Part 10: Trapped Within**

****

Yu reached the edge of the forest only to be thrown back in. He was being pressed against a tree by a clawed hand that had wrapped around his throat. He looked up and met the eyes of Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha was the one throttling him and he coughed out, "Wha?!?! Let go! I need to tell you-"

"Where's Koinu, bastard?!" snapped Inuyasha. Kagome, who had been on his back, now hopped off and placed one hand on the hanyou's shoulder.

"Let him go, Inuyasha," she reprimanded, one eyebrow raised. 

Inuyasha obliged reluctantly causing Yu to land in a coughing heap on the dirt. Shi appeared a moment later panting and leaning forward, his hands on his knees. He looked up and blurted out, "Geez, Dad! Did you try to kill him or somethin'?" 

"Now," said Kagome smiling at Shi before turning back to Yu. "Where's Koinu? She didn't come home last night and we knew she had gone to see you."

Yu stood up, brushing the dirt off his jeans. "She-well. Yesterday my otousan's clan, Koinu, and I were ambushed by a gyangu of youkai," he explained. "We won but not before Koinu turned into a hanyou and then a full youkai. Many of both sides died and I brought her back to our dens to rest. But now she's still having trouble keeping her youkai blood in check and I don't know what to do! So I was going to go tell you guys but obviously you beat me to it!" 

By then they had started walking towards the urufu dens. When Yu was finished Inuyasha nodded in understanding and picked up Kagome. "Lead the way, booi," he muttered to Yu who consented. 

For the time being, they would be little help to Koinu though.

************************************************************************

Koinu lay rigid on a bed of furs, her eyes shut. If anyone where to lift their lids, they would see golden eyes with swirls of blood red. 

She was fighting it. **_The youkai blood._**

                                                       ***

**_Feeling locked up and,  
I'm seeping in this,  
Falling over myself.  
Sheltered memories.  
I'm trapped inside my mind.  
My mode has decayed.  
_****_   
_**                                                       ***

****

Inside her subconscious Koinu stood facing a mirror while pitch-black darkness surrounded her. Her reflection was not that of a quarter inu-youkai's though. It was her full youkai self that looked back at her, inu ears and all. The purple slash marks and the elongated fangs and claws were clearly visible. Her hair was pure white as well. The 'real' Koinu looked normal though, her hair was raven black as her environment and her eyes were golden. The gold orbs met red ones in the mirror and she flinched. The youkai Koinu in the mirror smiled at her counterpart's pain and said, "Why don't you let go? Let me take control forever."

                                                       ***

**_Sometimes I feel like I'm holding onto something,  
Will I feel free again?  
So ask me where will I be,  
It seems I'll never know.  
You'll never find me again._**

****

                                                       ***

"No!" cried out Koinu, glaring at her demonic copy. 

She backed away from the mirror as the demoness leaned out and queried, "No? Why not? Don't you want to be strong?"

"Don't come near me!" screamed Koinu as the she-demon reached out to grab her with her claws.

The youkai Koinu smirked and the 'real' version let out a strangled cry as the youkai clutched her wrist. Koinu tried to break free, attempting to yank her arm away. The youkai laughed, cold and cruelly. Then she pulled Koinu into the mirror and jumped out. She tapped the golden frame of the mirror and it sealed with the quarter youkai Koinu inside. Koinu rapped on the glass, panic taking hold of her.

**_Cold, icy tendrils gripped her._**

Koinu let out a shriek both inside and out. It rang out of the cave and to the sensitive ears of Yu, Inuyasha, Shi and the nearby urufu youkai pack. 

**_Everything went dark and her body went limp. _**

                                                       ***

My decency is bleeding red,  
I can't see.  
Everything's gray in my head.  
It's over.  
Thoughts we defined.  
The problems remain the same,  
There's no end.  
  


                                                       ***

Yu, Inuyasha, Shi, and Kagome reached the den and Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha hurrying to her ojousan's side. The others followed her. None of them could get Koinu to wake up.

************************************************************************

"Someone has to know what to do!" protested Kagome. They had tried to use Tetsusaiga to control Koinu's youkai blood by placing it in Koinu's hands as she lay unconscious but to no avail.

"I've tried everything I know," sighed Mashiro. "My sister's a hanyou so I have dealt with similar situations, but the difference in youkai blood is causing Koinu's state to leave me baffled," she admitted. "She is only a quarter youkai after all."

Kagome nodded. A thought struck her. "Inuyasha, do you think Myouga would know anything that could help?" she asked.

Her mate pondered this for a moment before nodding in agreement. "He might but the flea's on some island relaxing."

"Oh yea. I remember now. He's in Hawaii drinking blood from sunbathing tourists," muttered Kagome wryly.

"How could that cowardly bug help Ko?" inquired Shi from his seat in the far corner of the den. 

"He is cowardly, but he's still very old and knowledgeable on youkai type affairs," replied Kagome laughingly. "He's the one who told us about how quarter youkai become ninjen twice a month."

"Oh," muttered Shi leaning back against the cold stonewall. 

"I bet Shippou would know a way to contact him," continued Kagome. 

Inuyasha nodded, standing up and saying, "I'll go ask him then."

Kagome kissed his cheek and whispered, "Hurry."

Inuyasha left in the next instant, passing by Yu as he leaned against one of the walls, his arms crossed. 

************************************************************************

Koinu awoke internally, she was still trapped in the mirror, the tendrils wrapped around her arms and legs tightly. She could see the mirror opening before her. She was still trapped inside and could make out the shape of her youkai equivalent on the other side, smirking at her. 

She shivered, trying to remove the vines. They were freezing, causing her quaking to intensify by the minute. She could see the she-demon walking away from the mirror into the infinite darkness that surrounded it. _'She's leaving me to die here,'_ Koinu realized. The discovery caused her to struggle harder, digging her nails into the tendrils and pushing away from them. She groaned as she strained against the thin yet strong vines. 

_'Almost there,'_ she thought, leaning forward and jabbing her nails into the ground. 

"Think again, weakling," called a voice almost identical to her own but a bit deeper and far colder. The voice of her youkai self.

Koinu's ankles were the only things still entrapped in the tendrils' grasps. She grabbed onto the tendrils, trying to yank them off her. That was when all the other vines clutched onto her and she was pulled in again. Her nails scraped on the floor as she struggled against the vines. 

This time there was no escape. She let out a strangled screech as the tendrils dragged her to their mouth. It was a gapping hole in its tendril-covered body that led into an even deeper darkness. Instinct told her that if it swallowed her she would most likely never get out. She squirmed and scratched and bit several of the vines, but they held on, pulling her along. 

"No!" she screamed, thrashing at the vines harder. 

That was when the tendrils threw her into the mouth and she let out another shriek. Infinite darkness and cold gripped her and she fell into a pained slumber. 

                                                       ***

**_Feeling locked up and,  
I'm seeping in this,  
Falling over myself.  
Sheltered memories.  
I'm trapped inside my mind.  
My mode has decayed.  
Sometimes I feel like I'm holding onto something,  
Will I feel free again?  
So ask me where will I be,  
It seems I'll never know.  
You'll never find me again.  
  
_**

                                                       ***

The youkai Koinu let out a whooping laugh and smirked. She had control now.

************************************************************************

Yu, Kagome, Shi, and Mashiro watched with horror as Koinu's body transformed. She was turning into a youkai, her hair white and her cheeks accented with two purple lines. Her claws and fangs lengthened and her ears turned into the pointed ones of an inu youkai. 

Her eyes snapped open then, revealing red ones with thin pupils. She stood up rapidly, smirking. 

"Koinu!" cried out Yu, taking a step towards the youkai. The demoness slashed Yu across his chest, throwing him backwards. 

Koinu left then, springing from the cave and into the dense forest. They called after her but she simply twitched her inu ears at them. 

Yu let out a low yell of anguish and stood up. "I'll go after her, keep thinking of a way to get her back to normal," he explained.

Mashiro and Kagome nodded and Shi suggested, "I can come with."

"No," said Yu firmly. "I need to do this by myself. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I-" Shi began to protest, but stopped at a stern look from his okaasan. "Alright. Be careful, Yu."

Yu nodded and left, jumping into the woods after Koinu.

************************************************************************

"Just try and catch me," muttered youkai Koinu as she sensed Yu coming after her. "Either way you can't get the little mutt back," she added chuckling wickedly.

Inside the 'real' Koinu, shifted in her arctic prison inside the tendril monster. "Y-Yu," she whispered, curled into a fetal position. The darkness rippled slightly at her mutter and the whisper was carried away.

                                                       ***

**_My decency is bleeding red,  
I can't see.  
Everything's gray in my head.  
It's over.  
Thoughts we defined.  
The problems remain the same,  
There's no end.  
  
_**

                                                       ***

Miles behind the demoness Koinu, Yu heard a tiny whisper that stopped him in his tracks. 

"Y-Yu."

                                                       ***

**_My decency is bleeding red,  
I can't see.  
Everything's gray in my head.  
It's over.  
Thoughts we defined.  
The problems remain the same,  
There's no end.  
And I say,  
There's no end._**

                                                           ***

Yu shook his head in disbelief and sped after Koinu. He had to hurry.

************************************************************************

The demonic Koinu laughed and whispered, **_"There's no end."_**

************************************************************************

A/N: This chapter was a bit strange. *laughing* ^_^;; A/N 2: Here's the only translation: Ojousan=daughter 

A/N 3: Review! ^__^ Bye!


	11. Sea of Reminiscence, Ocean of Memories

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins, and the Shinrin Twins (Yaki and Karasubairo). 

To TetsuoTsubushi: Thanks for the compliment! #^__^# I hope you like this.

To kyu-bi: I like putting cliffhangers in sometimes. It keeps you guys in suspense, they can be painful though. ^_^;; Anyway, as for Koinu being telepathic, well, she's not really. She does have a secret though. ^_- 

**Part 11: Sea of Reminiscence, Ocean of Memories**

**_"Memories… So many memories. No one can take them away!" _**Koinu cried out in her freezing prison in her own mind. She trembled, her whole body felt like ice. She slowly opened her eyes, the sudden gold in the sea of darkness caused everything to brighten. It had felt like someone was pulling memories from her brain, destroying them. Many of the precious memories now played before her. 

************************************************************************

**_"Uncle Sesshoumaru, why did Rin die?" a young Koinu inquired as she stood in front of Sesshoumaru's desk in his office. It was an innocent enough question; she was a small child at the time after all. She cocked her head towards the picture hanging on the wall behind her uncle. It was of an adult Rin in a floral kimono, her hair cascading over her shoulders. Written in white ink on the bottom edge of the painting it said: _****Painted by ****Kaku Nigaogaki****: in memory of the late Rin.__**

****

Sesshoumaru looked up from his work at his mei, who was leaning against his desk staring wonderingly at the painting. "Why should I tell you, youjo?" he inquired ignoring the sudden ache in his chest. 

****

**_"I was just wonderin'," replied Koinu, smiling sunnily at him. " She was very pretty," the quarter inu-youkai added._**

****

**_"She died having a bebii," said the full inu youkai after awhile. _**

****

**_"What happened to the bebii?" inquired Koinu after brief pause. _**

****

**_"Died at the same time," said Sesshoumaru. He looked up to see his mei's eyes glittering with tears. _**

****

**_"Th-That's so sad. I-I'm s-sorry," cried Koinu. _**

****

**_And for the first time Sesshoumaru decided to be truly kind to his mei. _**

****

**_He stood up and walked around his desk. Then, he bent down by Koinu and hugged the child. Koinu buried her face in her uncle's shirt before looking up and smiling at Sesshoumaru. _**

****

**_Both had been comforted that day for different reasons._**__

************************************************************************

Koinu smiled at the memory. It was a rare occasion indeed when her uncle showed compassion to others. Another memory sprang up in her mind then.

************************************************************************

**_"Watch me, Koinu!" shouted a little Shirakaba as he dived under water at a beach. He came back up a moment later, sputtering and with a smile on his face. Both were wearing swimsuits; Shi's a pair of azure trucks and Koinu's a violet bathing suit._**

****

**_Shi went under the water again and Koinu looked in all directions for her ototo when he didn't come up very quickly. Finally he appeared behind her, jumping onto her so that they both went under. _**

****

**_They came up laughing and Koinu picked Shi up and threw him in. He came up coughing, but laughed all the same. _**

****

**_"Be careful, you two!" called Kagome coming towards them in a blue bathing suit. _**

****

**_The quarter youkai kyoudai responded by splashing their okaasan._**

************************************************************************

Koinu grinned again. She stretched and yawned. It seemed that the more she remembered, the warmer she was and the easier it was to move. 

************************************************************************

"GRRRRRRR! Roar!" growled Koinu as she and Shi wrestled with their otousan. Koinu looked to be about eight, her dark hair hanging in her eyes. Shi, who had wrapped his tiny arms around Inuyasha's leg and was yanking on Inuyasha hair, was nearly two. 

****

**_"Roar! You're gonna lose, 'tousan!" exclaimed Koinu pushing Inuyasha down. _**

****

**_Inuyasha let them win, not using any of his own strength against them. "You both beat me," he consented causing his kodomotachi to grin and laugh. _**

****

**_"Yay! We beat Dada!" said Shi, showing his baby teeth._**

****

**_Koinu hugged her ototo. Inuyasha watched with mingled pride and joy. _**

****

**_His kodomotachi. Koinu and Shirakaba._**

****

************************************************************************

Koinu sighed at the adorable recollection. "Just one more. Then I'll be ready. The rest is up to Yu," she whispered, searching for one more unforgettable memory. It was a strange feeling, like she was flying through her mind. She found one, grasping onto it and holding it tight as her youkai blood tried to take it from her. 

She refused to cry out even though pain coursed through her as the demoness tugged on the memory, which was in the form of a golden orb. To anyone else all the orbs looked the same, but all Koinu had to do was look at them and know what they held within. 

Eventually the subconscious version of Koinu's youkai self yelped and released her grip on the orb. It was too pure, too precious a memory. Koinu smiled, displaying the memory before herself in the darkness that was lit only by other honeyed orbs of reminiscence and her own eyes. 

Naturally, it was a memory of Yu.

************************************************************************

**_It was the day after Koinu's battle with Hime. Yu and Koinu were on their way back to Kouga's tribe's land to show Mashiro Koinu's math assignment. Yu was carrying Koinu and they were a blur of wind. Koinu felt warm and safe; her head was resting against Yu's chest and she was watching their surroundings pass by rapidly, making her feel drowsy. _**

****

**_She fell asleep and, when they reached the foot of the mountain, the wolf dens above them, Yu looked down. Koinu looked peacefully, a smile on her face as she snoozed. He didn't want to wake her but he did anyway, shaking her shoulder. _**

****

**_"Ko," he whispered. "Koinu, wake up. We're here."_**

****

Koinu yawned, displaying sharp fangs. She slowly opened her eyes and muttered drowsily, "Huh? Oh, its you, Yu." She yawned again and hopped out of his arms, smiling genially at him. 

****

_'My sunny Koinu,'** he thought. **'Wait?! **My** Koinu?'** Yu couldn't help but blush at the strangeness of his thoughts. **_

****

**_Of course only Koinu knew why her memory included _**_Yu's **thoughts.**_

****

************************************************************************

Koinu grinned like a child with a secret. Her eyes glittered and the golden memory orb went back with the others. 

"My sea of reminiscence. My ocean of memories," said Koinu. She looked ethereal among the aureate spheres, her hair floating in the void within the tendril-covered creature. 

_'Now all I can do is wait. Wait for Yu,' _she thought, looking up at the darkness. "_Yu_," she whispered in a strangely airy tone of voice. Then, she curled back up into a fetal position and dozed.

************************************************************************

"_Yu_," the wind called again. This time Yu didn't stop, he hurried after the demonic Koinu. He had to rush, something told him that. Maybe it was the breeze; he couldn't be sure. 

He reached Koinu, who was standing on a branch above a river, her clothes and white hair fluttering in the wind. Her inu ears twitched as he approached and she turned, snarling. She looked like an animal. She was cornered but far from harmless.

Yu came towards her slowly, watching her every move. He assessed her current status. She was a full youkai, which would increase her speed and agility, and she was lighter than him so most likely quicker than him. He had more experience than her, but that didn't always mean he would win. He knew her moves though and without her ninjen awareness, she didn't know _his_ moves_. 'She doesn't know them **yet**, anyway,'_ he thought. He had no doubt that the youkai Koinu was any less intelligent than the 'real' one. 

The she-demon smirked and lunged at him. Her claws grazed his arm, but otherwise Yu dodged her, loosing his footing on the tree and falling into the river. The water was only three-feet deep and Koinu dived in after him, her claws extended in front of her. Yu swam out of her way as she landed, coming up behind her and pinning her arms to her body. 

"Let go of me! _Damn it!_ **_Let go!_**" screeched the youkai Koinu. She struggled in his grasp, digging her claws into his arm. 

Blood trickled out of Yu's wounds but he held on, his eyes tightly closed. "No. I won't ever let you go," he whispered in her ear.

The demoness took in a sharp breath. Her face was turning red and she felt strange. _'Not bad, just strange,'_ thought the she-demon  

"Its not strange really. You feel loved. You could say you feel warm and fuzzy," said Koinu, smiling. 

Yu started at the sound of Koinu's voice and looked up. Sitting on the side of the river, her bare feet in the water, was Koinu. Or atleast a transparent, ghostly version of the quarter youkai. 

Koinu smiled again and said, "I'm not a ghost."

Yu couldn't speak so Koinu continued, "You know what to do to bring me back. Just say the words and I'll be able to return, love." She then added sheepishly, "If not, it may take me awhile. You see, I've kinda been eaten. It's a long story that'll I'll tell you soon enough." She was fading and Yu almost reached out to touch her but Koinu yelled, "Don't! If you let her go I won't be able to get back right now!  I'm surprised I can even do _this_. These _abilities_ of mine, which I thought for awhile were just my imagination by the way, don't work often or when I want them to for that matter."

She stood up in the stream, smiling at Yu. "I hope I'll see you soon. Goodbye…_Yu_," she said, her voice was faint by then.

"Wait!" Yu cried out.

Koinu's eyes widened before she sighed. "You know what to say. Just think," she said.

"I-I do?"

"You do," whispered Koinu. And with that the apparition of Koinu vanished, leaving Yu and the struggling youkai. 

"Let go!" yelled the she-demon who had been silent the entire time the 'other' Koinu had made her appearance. 

Yu smiled, his face softened with need. "Koinu," he whispered after awhile. "I love you."

The demonic Koinu cried out and went limp then and the true Koinu took her place, grinning up at Yu, who still held her tightly. She body instantly turned back to its quarter youkai form.  "Those are the words, love," Koinu whispered, her eyes darkened with fatigue. 

Yu smiled and asked, "Are you back to normal?"

"'Fraid not," muttered Koinu looking down at the water they were sitting in. "My youkai blood has only been locked up temporarily, not tamed or locked up permanently. And I-I'm so tired, Yu. It took me ages to stop it this time. It almost won too," she continued. 

Yu watched as tears dripped from Koinu's golden eyes and into the river. He turned her around so that she faced him and wiped away the tears on her face with his index finger.

"I was afraid too. Afraid I wouldn't ever see you or my family ever again," mumbled Koinu, her face and eyes turned away from him.

Yu gently grabbed her chin in his hand and pushed it up at him slightly so that she faced him. "Look at me," he insisted. Koinu reluctantly complied, her eyes were an even darker gold now as she strained to stay awake. "I'm here and you're safe. That's all we need to think about right now."

He leaned his head down, his lips inches from Koinu's, waiting for permission. Koinu's smiled softly, tipping her head up and capturing his lips. Yu almost fell over and only just caught himself. They didn't separate though and Koinu wrapped her arms around his neck. Sensations traveled through them like fire.

Finally they unwillingly broke apart for air. Koinu smiled at Yu, her cheeks flushed. Her eyes were still getting dimmer though and she was blinking repeatedly. Yu held her tightly to him, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I love you, Koinu," he whispered.

"I heard you before," said Koinu laughingly. Her voice was faint as she continued, "I love-" Then she fell asleep, safe and warm in Yu's arms in the stream. 

Yu smiled cheerfully. He knew what she was going to say so he didn't mind. He stood up, cradling her in his arms. _'My Koinu,'_ he thought as he looked down at her. _'Yea, my Koinu.'_

And with that, he made his way back to the wolf dens where Kagome, Shi, Mashiro, the returned Inuyasha, and Shippou waited. He was careful not to awaken Koinu, who smiled in her sleep. 

************************************************************************

A/N: That was a strange chapter, no? It was fun to write though. ^_^

A/N 2: Here are the translations:

Mei=niece

Youjo=little girl

Bebii=baby 

A/N 3: This isn't quite over with yet. They still have to find a way to keep Koinu's youkai blood in check permanently. 

A/N 4: REVIEW! Bye! ^__^


	12. ThoughtWeaving

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins, and the Shinrin Twins (Yaki and Karasubairo). 

To kyu-bi: I like _my_ cliffies anyway. ^__^ I'm a sucker for love stories too. 

^_-

To eX Driver Liz: Hime will be back in this chapter. ^__^ Hehe. Btw, you're penname probably had a 3 on the end 'cause other people were 'Sailor Universe' before you and, as you probably already know, we have to have unique, individual pennames now. Anyway, thanks again!

A/N: Here's a few dialogue between toad boy and Fluffy: 

_Jaken: "You can't blame him for not liking you! Your resume is one long death  
wish!"_ _Sesshoumaru: *smiles slightly*_ _Jaken: "Ahh! You're smiling! Oh, don't smile at me! You're always much harder on me when you're being passive-aggressive!" *thinking* 'I think I've just shortened my life by a hundred years!'_

Choccy: Come to think of it, what ever happened to Jaken in my story? Hmmm…. Maybe I'll add him in the next chapter. I don't like him at all, but he was a character we saw a lot of in the anime and manga.

**Part 12: Thought-Weaving**

****

"Is she alright?" asked Kagome as Yu arrived in the wolf den where she, Inuyasha, Shippou, Mashiro, and Shi had waited. Koinu was sleeping in Yu's arms, her breathing heavy and her body relaxed. 

"She'll be fine," Yu reassured them, slowly sitting down on a pile of furs, holding Koinu to his chest. Koinu didn't even stir.

"How did you turn her back to a quarter youkai?" inquired Shippou, his reddish brown locks shining in the sunlight. 

"Well," muttered Yu, laughing. "It's a long story, but basically I barely did anything." He smiled tenderly at Koinu who grunted in her slumber. "I'm sure she could explain it better than I ever will. But I think we should let her sleep. She's been through a lot." He looked up at everyone. Mashiro and Kagome where winking at each other and whispering causing Yu to think dryly, _'Ah yes, the ancient female ritual of gossip.'_ Then he looked at Shi, Inuyasha, and Shippou. Inuyasha was looking at him strangely, a mixture of pleasure and protectiveness on his face. Shi and Shippou were grinning secretively. 

Yu sighed, shifting Koinu to a new position in his arms. He wasn't quite sure what had happened between Koinu and her youkai blood back at the river himself. 

************************************************************************

Twelve hours later, Koinu awoke to see her family, most of Kouga's pack, and Shippou eating together in the cave. She yawned, rubbing her eyes. "'Having a picnic without me?" she inquired causing everyone to start in surprise. She smiled, showing her fangs. "Miss me?" she asked. 

"You were gone, Ko?" questioned Shi sarcastically.

"Very funny," Koinu said, eyeing him laughingly. 

She turned to her oya, who smiled at her. Then Inuyasha went back to his 'insult match' with Kouga who sat across from him. Koinu laughed as her otousan called Kouga a "wimpy wolf" and Kouga dubbed Inuyasha an "inukoru." 

_'Some things never change,' _thought someone. Koinu blinked realizing it was her okaasan who had had that thought. She had unconsciously weaved herself among everyone's thoughts. 

_'This is funny,'_ thought Shi.

_'Stupid urufu,'_ Inuyasha thought.

Koinu quickly removed herself then; her head pounded from the sudden over load of feelings. 

_'Too many people here to listen too,'_ she thought. She had left her connection with Yu's mind alone and he caught her thought, looking peculiarly at her. Koinu chuckled, winking at him mysteriously.

Hime was noticeably absent. _'Probably doesn't want to be involved in cheerful conversation,' _Koinu thought lightheartedly.

Yu went over to her, sitting beside her on the heap of furs. "Are you hungry?" he asked her.

"I'm starved!" declared Koinu.

Yu laughed, handing her a plate full of meat strips. "Is this all you guys eat?" Koinu inquired dryly.

"Pretty much. Here have some lettuce," he said placing some of the green leaves on her plate as well. 

"Thanks," said Koinu, eating. 

Yu watched her for a moment before turning back towards the others. 

************************************************************************

"So? What exactly happened to you?" Shippou asked Koinu after dinner. The young kodomotachi had been sent to bed and only Kouga, Yu, Mashiro, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shi, Shippou of course, and Koinu remained in the den. 

"I got eaten," said Koinu cryptically. She wrinkled her nose and continued in a more normal tone, "I couldn't control her. My youkai blood I mean. It was strong and it trapped me within myself. After awhile I regained awareness, inside anyway, and I took a trip down memory lane, or as I like to call it: _'my sea of reminiscence.'_ I had to do that to help take control again. You see, as long as I could still think and relive memories, I had a chance of surviving and taking control again. So I did that for awhile and then I just, well, waited."

"Waited? Why? Shouldn't you have been fighting it?" asked Shi.

"I couldn't do anything else until my youkai self was subdued by someone. In this case, Yu," Koinu explained. "He did that and I was able to 'run' my body again. Naturally, I was exhausted by then and fell asleep."

Yu noticed how vaguely she described how he had 'subdued' her youkai blood and nearly laughed. 

_'It was sealed with a kiss,'_ something that felt like wind whispered in Yu's brain. 

Koinu winked at him, smiling. Then she added to everyone else, "So now we need to find a way to stop this from happening again. Any ideas?"

"I'll contact Myouga through the 'all-youkai spa' he's staying at in Hawaii," said Shippou.

"'Sounds good to me. He should know something that can help," said Kagome, who was leaning against Inuyasha. 

"Well, I gotta get home," Shippou said. "I'll tell you what the flea says as soon as I can. Bye, guys." Then he left in a blur of reddish brown fur. 

Koinu yawned, she felt drained again. She had a feeling it was because of her repeated _'thought-weaving'_ and she smiled wryly. 

"Let's get goin'," said Inuyasha after a few moments of silence. 

Koinu, Shi, Inuyasha, and Kagome nodded, standing up. They said good-bye to Kouga, Mashiro, and Yu who walked with them to the entrance of the cave.

Then, Kouga and Mashiro went up to their own den. Shi and Inuyasha, who was carrying Kagome, took off into the forest, leaving Yu and Koinu alone in the entryway to the den. 

"Come on, Koinu!" called Shi a moment later.

"I'm coming!" shouted Koinu. She turned to Yu, smiling, and whispered, "Bye, Yu."

Yu placed his hands on her hips, pulling her to him. They started kissing, but were interrupted by a shrill hoot and a female voice yelling, "Awwwww. How cute; two idiots exchanging spit!" 

"_Damn it!_ **_Hime, go to hell!_**" hollered Yu, breaking away from Koinu who frowned at the urufu demoness who was sitting on a crag of rock above them, laughing. 

Hime faulted though, abruptly hurrying into her den, a strange look on her face. 

Koinu smiled wickedly, as she watched Hime scurry away. 

"What did you do?" asked Yu mock-disapprovingly. 

Koinu chuckled. "Nothin' much really," she said. "I just told her I knew about Kyuukai and that I would tattle if she didn't get lost fast."

"Whose Kyuukai?" inquired Yu.

"Oh, just her ninjen boyfriend."

"WHAAAAA?!"

"You heard me," replied Koinu. "I looked at her memories for something that she would hate for others to know about and saw them smooching." 

"Are we talking about the same sadistic Hime here?"

"Yep."

"Whoa. I'll have to think about that," muttered Yu. "Are you ever going to tell me how you can read people's thoughts?"

"I like to call it _thought-weaving,_ " said Koinu laughingly. "I started doing it when I was little I think. I thought I was just imagining things at first and then I thought I was just hearing things. But when I was trapped inside myself, I realized it was an ability I seemed to have always had and used rarely before. You heard me before you reached me, remember? I called out to you."

"Yea, I remember. Do you know how you're doing it?" inquired Yu.

"'Could be a quarter youkai thing, or something I inherited from an ancestor," suggested Koinu. "Then again, I'm pretty sure Shi doesn't have it."

"Hmm, I bet we'll find out eventually," mumbled Yu, drawing closer to her again. 

Koinu breathed in his scent, a mixture of urufu, tree bark, and mountain air. They kissed again without any disruptions. 

Then, they parted, Koinu jumping backwards and onto a tree branch without looking. "Bye," said Yu noticing her unusually graceful landing.  

"Bye," called Koinu hopping to the ground and taking off after her family. She was soon out of sight but her scent stayed with Yu who grinned. 

He was thrilled. Blissful. Cherished. He was everything he could hope for at the time. 

************************************************************************

A/N: Here are 2 quotes from Fluffy!

Sesshoumaru: *glare*

Choccy: *nervous laughter* ^_^; I mean, here are 2 quotes from the great Demon Lord of the Western Lands Sesshoumaru:

_"__Oooh, well done. Looks like you've remembered your elder brother's face.__"_

_"Little brothers are such pests...__"_

Choccy: ^__- 

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A/N: Here are the translations: Oya=parents Kyuukai=long-cherished hope A/N 2: Review! ^___- Bye! 


	13. Afterwards: A Pup’s Parable

_Moonlit Encounter: _

_A Tale of Dogs & Wolves  _

By: ChocolateEclar

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the anime/manga "_Inuyasha_." So don't try to sue me.  ^___^

Claimer: I own Koinu (Nobara), Shirakaba, Yu (Yousukou), Hime (Yuck!), Mashiro, Itoshii, Haipaa, Koishii and her children, all of Yu's younger siblings and cousins, and the Shinrin Twins (Yaki and Karasubairo). 

To eX Driver Liz: Thanks a lot. Sorry about the wait.

To kyu-bi: Thank you!

To Anandria: Yea, Hime's not quite as bad as you though. ^__^ Thank you again!

To TetsuoTsubushi: Thanks a bunch! Here's the last chapter!

To opal eyes: *laughs* Now, now, no need to order me around. ^_- Thanks for reviewing!

A/N: Hmmm… My reason for not updating? Well, I'm lazy. *laughs* Oh yea and school started and I came up with an idea for a Harry Potter fanfic that I _had_ to write down. My muse was going to murder me if I didn't. ^_^ Aren't those good enough reasons not to kill me? 

Reviewers: *glare* *chuck heavy objects at Choccy*

Choccy: @_@ G-Guess not. Well here's chapter 13… It's under Koinu's POV. It's the last chapter by the way. *hides*

**Afterwards: A Pup's Parable**

****

Not long afterwards Shippou contacted Myouga the flea youkai who informed us of someone that could help me control my youkai self. Her name was Karasubairo Shinrin and was the same mutt youkai we had met only days before. She lived in a cottage about ten miles outside Tokyo where she created pendants with magic potencies. Their abilities ranged from protective powers to increased offensive skills. 

I visited her with Shippou (who led the way using directions Myouga had given him over the phone), my 'tousan and 'kaasan, Shi, and Yu. Yabai Kiba was there sitting outside on the front porch of the cabin, his long, dark hair framing his face. I felt a growl escape my lips for I still hadn't forgiven him for hurting Yu. 

Yabai looked up, his jade eyes emotionless. "Karasu's expecting you," he barked at me. 

I bared my fangs and followed the others up to the front door. Shippou knocked and stepped back as the door was pulled open by the assassin's tsuin. Karasu was as beautiful as I remembered, her hair as dark as Yabai's. Hers reached her waist though and she was far warmer. She smiled, her eyes twinkling. From the battle against Lady Torafu's army she had acquired a thin scar down her cheek. "Come inside, ignore Yaki. He's just in his usual fowl mood," she greeted us, grinning merrily at her tsuin.

She led us inside. Warmth was abundant in the air even though there was no electricity and the fireplace was empty. Shelves lined the walls with bottles filled with spices and glittering fangs. Garlic and other dried herbs hung from the rafters and a bed lay in the corner covered in an azure quilt. We each sat in a wooden chair facing Karasu, who picked up a deep red box that lay on a worktable in a corner of the only room of the lodge. 

She sat down in another chair and said to me, "I figured you would need my services, Nobara." She smiled at the look that had crossed my face at the mention of my real name and continued, "You see, like you, my brother and I both are in need of a way to keep our animalistic natures in check. I no longer need the pendent my okaasan created for me long ago, but Yaki does and still wears it." I was reminded of the fang pendent that hung from a cord around Yabai's neck and nodded. "I have one for you, Nobara. This was mine and I wish it to be yours," added Karasu. 

She opened the box and we all looked inside. Nestled within, on top of a white cloth was a silver chain with a curved fang attached to it. Karasu gave the box to me and I pulled the necklace over my neck. It rested against my chest, glittering in the sunlight that was filtering through the windows. 

"Its as affective as my uncle's Tetsusaiga on you, Inuyasha," said Karasu, smiling. I looked up and at my 'tousan who was looking at Karasu as puzzledly as the rest of us, his dark eyebrows up. "My uncle," clarified Karasubairo, "was Toutousai the creator of the Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. He and my okaasan were kyoudai and each had a craft. He, as many of you know, was a craftsman in the art of sword forging while my okaasan was a jeweler. She created both my brother and my pendants using her knowledge of jewelry and my otousan's knowledge of sorcery. I learned both and now create pendants such as these."

"Has Toutousai passed away?" inquired my 'kaasan.

"Yes," replied Karasu, nodding solemnly. "He died fifty-four years past."

We talked for some time and about dinnertime Yabai came in complaining about "lazy wenches." Karasu snarled at him, her green eyes fiery emeralds. Then she turned to us and invited us to eat with them ignoring Yabai's protests. I laughed. From then on Karasu was my friend for the rest of my life.

************************************************************************

Four years later Shi was dating Ouka, who I liked due to her gentle and easy-going mannerisms. Around this time Yu and I were married. Everyone was present including Karasu, Uncle Souta, Kouga, Mashiro, most of the urufu tribe including all of Yu's kyoudai, and my obaasan and hiijiji. Ouka was my flower girl and even Uncle Sesshoumaru was present. He and my 'tousan bickered causing my 'kaasan to threaten bodily injury.

Hime was present as well, leaning against a wall chatting with Kyuukai, her ninjen boyfriend. He was more like her mate now. I had met him and he seemed nice enough, but perhaps a little sadistic like Hime. 

I could feel my heart flipping in anxiety as I walked up the aisle, my long white dress sweeping the floor. My nervousness vanished after the kiss though, naturally leaving me in a rather more contented and joyous mood. Afterwards, at the reception, Shi teased me, calling me old. I thumped him on the head playfully, whispering, "You'll be up in this position soon enough," in his ear and looking meaningfully at Ouka. He turned beat red and silenced. Yu and I laughed; he had heard every word with those sensitive ears of his.

I can recall the first time we met that day in the forest clearly.

_"This is my father's territory. You're trespassing so leave!" Yu had shouted, jumping out of the trees and directly in front of me._

_"I don't care whose land this is? I just wanted to go for a walk," I had snapped defiantly. _

_"Well, tough," retorted Yu laughingly._

_After we had exchanged witticisms and I had turned into a ninjen right in front of him he had blurted out, "You-You're ninjen."_

_To which I had said, "Obviously, moron."_

_Yu huffed and snapped, "I was making a statement."_

_"And a dumb one at that," I had yelled back._

_"Weren't you leaving?" Yu had muttered._

I still laugh when I think about that odd meeting.

************************************************************************

A year after Shi and Ouka graduated from college, they were wed. It was a lot like my own wedding, but with me as the Maid of Honor and Shi's furendo, Zat, as the Best Man. I was six months pregnant with my first child then and felt quite like a balloon. My 'tousan and Yu wouldn't stop 'mothering' me and it irritated me to no end. 

"I'm not a teinousha. I can take care of myself," I snapped at my otousan during the party following the wedding. I was sitting at a table with my oya, goshujin,* and the newlyweds. "That goes for you too, anata," I said to Yu who chuckled. (A/N: Husband*)

"Yes, we understand, 'O Independent One,' " humored Yu, giving me a light kiss on my forehead. I felt the familiar wave of happiness that always went through me when he touched me. I weaved among his thoughts, nestling in the memories of us. 

************************************************************************

Yu gave up his role as future leader of Kouga's clan and Hime refused the position as well, to everyone's surprise, and lived with Kyuukai till his death. So, in the end, the duty was given to Nyuuriidaa, Yu's oldest younger kyoudai. 

Only three months after Shi and Ouka's wedding, I gave birth to a bebii boy who Yu and I named Shouraizou and nicknamed 'Shou.' He had my golden eyes and dark tresses and my Yu's long tail and pointed ears. Due to Yu's full youkai blood and my quarter youkai blood we soon discovered Shou was a hanyou. He would become a wonderful otousan and an employee under Uncle Sesshoumaru.

My okaasan and otousan adored him, playing with him and buying him toys. And when Ouka delivered a bebii girl dubbed Mabui, my oya did the same thing once again. Mabui looked quite a bit like Shi and had white curls and golden eyes.

************************************************************************

I always wore the necklace Karasu gave me and almost never took it off. Karasu made one for each of my kodomotachi. She even produced one for Mabui even though she was only an eighth youkai. Each one was fashioned from a youkai's fang and hung from a silver string. It soon became a family tradition, as years went by, to give one of the necklaces to each child in our family when they became seven years old. 

Our second child was born five years after Shou and was a girl entitled Houseki. She had dark brown hair like her otousan with my golden eyes. She later became an artist of mosaics; her paintings lively and filled with urufu and golden eyed shape shifters. She gave me one of her watercolor pictures for my birthday one year. It was of a chocolate-colored urufu with cerulean eyes and a woman with golden eyes and dark hair embracing him with a forest and mountain in the distance. To this day I still keep that painting above our mantel. 

She painted a picture of Shou when she was twenty-three. It was gorgeous with his swirling aureate eyes just as they really were and his seemingly permanent smile on his handsome face. It had the full moon in the background. The full moon was the time in which Shou changes into a ninjen and you could, if you knew what to look for, just see the beginning of his eyes transforming into brown ones towards their edges. It really was special to us.

************************************************************************

Over the next few years, little changed. My 'kaasan continued to teach and my 'tousan still worked with Uncle Sesshoumaru who remained virtually the same, though he did have a soft spot for my kodomotachi and I. Houseki made a picture of Uncle Sesshoumaru, which was quite a task considering she had to convince him to pose for it. 

I'm still Koinu, but every once and awhile Uncle Sesshoumaru calls me Nobara. I can't say I mind anymore. I mean, I am nearly a hundred years old after all. I don't look over thirty though, which may have boosted my ego a bit. I will die sooner than Yu though being only a quarter youkai. 

As for my oya, my okaasan died only three years ago, kind even after the end I'm sure, and otousan passed away a year afterwards, giving me the Tetsusaiga. I hung it up above the picture Houseki painted for me over the fireplace. I miss them terribly and have become even closer to my shuutome, Mashiro, because of it. (A/N: Remember that in "A Bond Across Time" Inuyasha made a wish to die naturally just like a human.) 

Ouka died only a month ago and I know Shi will be bleeding inside for some time. Mabui looks older than me, being only an eighth youkai, she will die much sooner than us. I suspect she will live atleast fifty more years though, which will help Shi greatly. 

Both Houseki and Shou are married and have four kodomotachi each. Shou's wife is a neko hanyou and so two of their kodomotachi are half youkai like them, while one is full ninjen and one is full youkai (half neko youkai, quarter inu youkai, quarter urufu youkai). It can be a bit confusing to be honest. 

Houseki married a ninjen named Jentoruman and all of their kids are girls. She continues to paint and sketch and one of her daughters even acquired her love of art. 

As for Yu and I, well, I'm expecting another child in several months. Now don't tell Yu. I want it to be a surprise. 

^____- *wink*

                                  **_The End_**

************************************************************************

A/N: *sigh* So that's it. Sorry again about the wait. ^_^

A/N 2: Word Translations:

Obaasan=grandmother

Hiijiji=great-grandfather

Furendo=friend

Teinousha=imbecile/moron

Oya=parents

Goshujin=husband

Anata=dear (what a wife calls a husband)

Shuutome=mother-in-law 

Jentoruman=gentleman

Name translations:

Kyuukai=long-cherished hope Nyuuriidaa=new leader Shouraizou=vision of the future 

Mabui=cute/pretty

Houseki=gem/jewel A/N 3: REVIEWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^_____^ Choccy and the entire cast of "A Bond Across Time" and "Moonlight Encounter: A Tale of Dogs & Wolves": Sayonara! ^___^ 

(A/N 4: If I feel the need to I'll reply to the final reviews in a mini chapter with just replies.)


End file.
